


Two Becoming One

by sarhea



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Star Trek, Star Trek 2009, Star Trek AOS, Star Trek Reboot, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Action, Community: startrekbigbang, Crossover, Drama, F/M, Fusion, Gen, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-05
Updated: 2012-11-05
Packaged: 2017-11-18 01:31:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/555404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarhea/pseuds/sarhea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione Granger is a twenty-third century witch but she is not willing to give up science. Luckily she is fortunate enough to find many to support her in her quest for knowledge, to blend science and magic. Along the way she meets and becomes friends with Pike, Spock, Kirk, and Scotty, and she creates something quite unordinary, something that helps when the Enterprise crosses paths with the Narada.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hermione Granger is an overacheiver

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Lift the wizarding world of 21st century Earth and place it in an isolated star system where electrical and solar storms wreck havoc on advanced science-tech. Magic thrived where science broke down. Most of the students invited to attend Hogwarts are from human colony-worlds, referred by local magical residents (or those in the know). No Dark Lords or the Voldemort Wars, some pureblood tensions based on aristocratic and economic snobbery in this modern space-faring age. They know Muggles are dangerous and smart and it is best to not cause waves and draw attention.  
> Warnings: Violence, off-side deaths  
> Spoilers: Chunks of dialogue straight from Star Trek Reboot, but the story itself is pretty much AU, twisted from the movie. Some key movie events are referred to. Regarding Harry Potter, not so much, just the relationships/characters.  
> Beta: BT  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione Granger or Potterverse & co, J.K. Rowling does. I do not own Spock or Trekverse, Roddenberry and Paramount does. I’m just playing with the characters.  
> For: LJ Community startrekbigbang – 2012 Star Trek Big Bang – Round 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And she more than proves it.

“You are a witch Miss Granger.”

The slender bushy-haired brunette stared with wide awed eyes as the stern looking older woman dressed in an old-fashioned ankle-length dress waved what looked like a conductor’s baton and ‘changed’ the coffee table mint bowl into a Siamese cat that sniffed and padded across the coffee table before jumping into her lap and kneading small claws into her skirts.

The other two adults dressed in more modern jump suits looked uneasy as they looked between the older woman and the young girl. There was no fear, just uncertainty. Then the female-half spoke.

“What does that mean for Hermione Professor McGonagall?”

Minerva McGonagall stared at the young professional-looking ‘scientific’ couple. It was hard for modern Muggleborns to get a magical education since most Muggle parents saw it as useless and restrictive. Because it was. To be trained in magic was to be restricted to Avalon, or one of the secretive off-world enclaves. If/When parents refused to give permission Minerva would offer week-end and summer school training at the closest enclaves. Enough training to keep the child from losing control, but not enough to excel and become all he/she could be. Minerva had seen it before and she hated it. It was like clipping a phoenix’s wings before the thing even got the chance to fly. So she spoke carefully, gravely.

“You must understand magic is a part of her, like a photographic memory or a knack for learning languages. If she doesn’t get the chance to use the gift it will atrophy and your daughter will forever feel crippled. Because she can’t do all that she was born to do.” Minerva was pleased to see the words have impact. They were not selfish unfeeling Muggles.

“Then what would you suggest?” Mrs Granger asked hesitantly. “Hermione has so much potential. Her teachers were talking about enrolling her in an advanced science program that Starfleet is sponsoring. I don’t like the idea of her not studying sciences. Your brochures do not describe any non-magical courses taught at Hogwarts. We would not mind her studying magic if she can continue with her regular education courses.”

Minerva did not smile though she was jumping inwardly. They wanted what was best for their child.

“I will admit it is not an option usually requested,” Minerva said frankly. “Most choose to concentrate on only one. To do both will require twice the effort.”

“I can do it!” Hermione Granger piped up, vocalizing her desires for the first time since Minerva demonstrated the existence of magic. “I’m a hard worker and I’ve even skipped grades. I’ll work weekends and the summers to keep up!” she vowed.

“And there is another thing,” Minerva cautioned. “Your daughter is unusually blessed. She will need extra training to learn control and focus. In fact it may not be possible for her to easily travel off-planet.”

That threw off all three Grangers. “What do you mean?” Mr Granger asked.

Minerva concentrated, making her aura visible in a faint halo around her.

“Magic is a bio-energy field. Powerful mages emit very powerful and wide auras that disrupt most electronics within range. There have been incidents… spaceships being destroyed when a mage passenger lost control. It has become policy for only master level mages such as myself to travel off-planet and only in civilian vessels in safe shipping lanes. Because stressful situations, like a pirate attack could cause the mage to lose control. Those with lesser control travel under stasis, by taking a draught of living death for the duration of the trip.”

“But what about the holidays?”

“In order for Miss Granger to complete a dual-course of study it would be recommended she stay on Avalon for the full seven years. You are more than welcome to visit her of course, but she will have lessons almost every day.”

“You have teachers qualified to teach non-magical courses?”

“Of course. Avalon has a large Muggle, non-magical, population. We trade with the Federation and other races. Of course non-citizens are restricted to the moons and certain orbital space stations. Very little technology survives for long on the planet. Too many electrical storms. It destroys ninety-percent of any hi-tech devices brought to the surface.”

“What do you trade or manufacture?” Mr Granger asked curious.

“Biopharmaceuticals. Mostly Potions for healing and health. Luxury goods, textiles and handcrafted accessories.”

“Really?”

“Our goods cannot be synthesized of manufactured by any replicator,” Minerva explained proudly. “They are infused with the magic of the creator and can only be supplied by a mage-world or trading enclave. For example, if Miss Granger chooses to become a Potions Mistress she can easily name her price. All the enclaves would fight to have a skilled Potions Mistress resident because it will increase their potential export-trade goods. If she becomes a Charms Mistress, or specializes in Runes or Arithmancy, and develops techniques to shield high-tech devices from the energy storms and fluxing magic, it will generate a tidy income for the rest of her life. And potentially allow mages to join Starfleet in the future. With a little work we can create an academic transcript that would qualify her to attend a non-magical university of her choice.”

Hermione’s brown eyes were focused, intent on the potential future described by Minerva McGonagall.

Mrs Granger turned to the little girl who was listening silently. “Well Hermione? Are you sure you want to do this? It will be a lot of studying.”

Hermione made a scoffing sound. “I’m not afraid of studying or hard work Mum!” Then her expression turned downcast. “I’ll only hate being away from you for so long. And I won’t be able to join Starfleet.” She pouted. “I really wanted to be a research scientist on one of those deep-space exploration missions.” She turned to Minerva McGonagall. “Are you sure I can’t travel on a Starfleet ship? I’ll study extra hard to control my magic!”

“Life on an exploration research ship is stressful,” Mr Granger pointed out sternly. “You’ve seen the casualty lists Hermione.”

Tears pooled in wide honey brown eyes and her lower lip quivered. “But I want to explore space and discover new things!”

Mr and Mrs Granger looked at each other. They had known Hermione was hell-bent on entering Starfleet and cringed at the thought of their little girl being out there in the black. Magic would take Hermione from them but at least she’d be safe and healthy. And they could always comm. and visit her. And she could do the same.

“It’s difficult to explain the academic gap to a military organization,” Minerva pointed out practically. “And you’ll have to resist the trained instinct to use magic every minute you’re awake on board a ship. On a civilian passenger freighter you could get away with small slip-ups but on a Starfleet ship where everything is recorded and monitored by security? No.” And she watched the little girl’s expression turn downcast and teary. She was not so hardened that she could resist offering a tantalizing bit of hope. “If you were true bonded there is a chance you could travel even in a stressful environment. A True Bond stabilizes the magic in a pairing, but you must understand it is very rare for mages to meet and make a true bond match. Most mages make vows when they marry but true bonds are different. You don’t get to choose to have one, it simply is.”

“Like soulmates?” Mrs Granger asked.

“There are many schools of thought but my personal belief is yes, like soulmates. Of course it doesn’t mean you cannot marry one who is **not** your true bond.”

“Well Hermione?” Mr Granger asked teasingly. “Are you going to look for your soulmate?”

Hermione looked torn before she decisively shook her head. “No Daddy. I’ll focus on learning magic and physics. I’ll find a way that allows mages to travel on ships without worrying about controlling their magic every second they’re on board.”

“So you want to go to Hogwarts?” It was more of a statement than question, from Mrs Granger.

“Yes Mum. I’m a witch. I want to study magic.”

 

**~ooOoo~ooOoo~ooOoo~**

 

_[9 years later]_

 

Hermione Granger was proud of all she had accomplished by her own hard work and the the generous support of her friends and teachers. And it had not been easy, finding her way in her new world! She had been isolated and afraid the first time she had left Earth without her parents in Professor McGonagall’s care. It had taken a deliberate conscious effort to allow the older witch to place her into stasis for the trip to Avalon. And she had hated it, having a very bad reaction when she awakened. Professor McGonagall had been kindly but firm.

~ooOoo~

_“I’m sorry Miss Granger but it is unlikely you will be allowed to travel off Avalon unless you improve your control at least five-fold. Your subconscious was affecting the ship’s systems throughout the whole trip.”_

_“But what about my parents? You said I could visit!”_

_“It would be better if they travel to Avalon. I strongly suspect you will be a very powerful witch upon maturity Miss Granger. It took triple the usual dosage of the Draught of Living Death to put you under. And it will only increase when you get older.”_

_“Can I still talk to them over subspace comm.?”_

_“Of course.”_

~ooOoo~

She had felt horribly lonely and isolated the first few weeks in Avalon. Her first host family, the Weasleys, were a loud and boisterous group, whose children were more interested in roughhousing and games than intellectual curiosity. Hermione had been terrified that she would not make any friends in this strange world until she met Neville Longbottom on the Hogwarts Express train.

Neville was her first real magical friend, one who liked her for herself, not because she had been forced on him by adults. He had not looked down on her because she liked to read and was interested in history. In fact he had shared his own interest in Herbology before introducing her to his god-brother Harry Potter.

Harry was a very nice boy, easy going and smart but not pushy. He was kind enough to include Hermione in his circle of friends because honestly everyone knew of the Potters: Head Auror James Potter, Charms Mistress Lily Potter, their son Harry Potter, and the twins Jasmine and Evan Potter. The Potters were an ancient, wealthy and influential magical clan. Hermione had been surprised when she received an owl from Lily Potter, an invitation to spend Christmas at Potter Manse. Surprised but grateful. Neville had told her his parents were going to spend the hols visiting and staying with relatives.

~ooOoo~

_“So you are the brilliant witch my son has been talking about in his letters!”_

_“I’m not brilliant,” Hermione confessed. “I read a lot. And ask questions.”_

_“And that is the best thing you can do. Never keep quiet because you are afraid of looking like a fool. I know I asked my teachers tons of questions when I was in school. I still do at work and at home you know!”_

_“What work do you do Mrs Potter?”_

_“I research ancient charms to re-engineer them if possible. I also do spell crafting. It’s tricky business because many spells require too much power, finesse, or knowledge to cast. To become common place and practical a good spell must be easy to cast by the average witch. And that is the hard part,” Lily Potter explained with a rueful laugh._

_“Can anyone become a spell crafter?”_

_“Oh no! You need a lot of cross-disciplinary knowledge. Arithmacy, Runes, Charms. Sometimes even Potions and Transfiguration. I did an Apprenticeship under Professor Flitwick and the Department of Mysteries. I still consult for them and Gringotts.”_

_“That sounds like a lot of studying.”_

_“Something that I think would be right up your alley,” Mrs Potter pointed out laughing._

_Hermione’s bright expression faded. “I don’t think I can do something similar,” she confessed softly._

_“And why not?”_

_I promised my parents I would keep up with my non-magical studies and I want to do it even though they aren’t around to see me graduate. I want to go to a non-magical university and study physics but I don’t think I can afford to study both.”_

_“Never you mind about the cost dear. Focus on studying and getting the marks. I’m sure we can figure out a way to cover your expenses. Perhaps a scholarship of some sort.”_

~ooOoo~

Hermione was proud of herself. She was one of the few Muggleborns who applied for an Academic Apprenticeship course of study in Arithmacy and Runes and completed it within two years of graduating from Hogwarts rather than the usual three. And she also earned most of the credits for an undergraduate degree in Theoretical Physics with a minor in Math through online and subspace conferencing. Most her lab work was done in non-Magical labs, facilities owned by Full Moon Research Inc (a division of Potter _Enterprise_ s). It had been most encouraging to find out Remus Lupin had a degree in Civil Engineering and Professor Snape had the right to be called Doctor Snape for his PhD in Chemistry.

Most of her friends called her crazy, for continuing with her non-magical studies, for completing her first year uni credits before she even graduated from Hogwarts but Hermione had been unfazed. She was a witch and she adored the logic and patterns of Arithmacy and Runes. She was logical and she wished to study quantum physics, perhaps even apply her Arithmacy knowledge to physics.

Her Professors and Lily Potter had actively encouraged and helped her on her path. Neville and Harry had not entirely understood her intellectual determination but they had respected and supported her desires. Few others had been as supportive. Even her boyfriend.

“Hey ‘Mione, what’s this I hear about you going off-planet to some Muggle school?”

Hermione stiffened and turned around plastering a smile to her face chanting inwardly _I will not hex Ron Weasley._

“Ron it is not something new. I always talked about completing a Masters degree in Physics.”

Ron made an impatient waving gesture. “Yeah yeah. But I didn’t think you were really serious about it!”

“Ron! I’m always serious about studying!”

“But it’s a waste of time! What good is a Muggle degree ‘cause it’s useless on Avalon. Besides you’re going to marry me and we’re gonna start a family!”

Hermione stiffened. “Is that all I am to you Ronald Weasley? A broodmare?” she hissed. “I’d like to hear you say how useless a Muggle degree is to Professor Snape. He has a Doctorate in Chemistry. And Professor McGonagall has a Masters degree in Education. Professor Vector has a degree in Applied Math and a Masters in Statistics. If you think I’m crazy and stupid then perhaps we should just break up. Now if you’ll excuse me I have a meeting with Professor McGonagall about my travel arrangements,” she added harshly before stalking off leaving a gawping shocked Ron Weasley surrounded by very disapproving faces.

Hermione forced herself to walk away, not run, never run. She would not let anyone have the satisfaction of making her run. She blinked back tears as she blindly made her way to the Minerva McGonagall’s office. She tapped on the door and waited until she heard “Come in.” Then she pushed the door open and entered before closing it behind her.

It was a bit of a shock to see Lily Potter and Professor Snape in the room with her Head of House.

“Miss Granger. Sit down.”

Hermione obeyed and folded her hands on her lap and waited. She had learnt patience. Bubbling and demanding answers were not suitable actions for an adult witch, an Arithmacy Mistress and BSc. Hermione was worried. She had discussed her plans with all three of her ‘advisors’ six months ago. She did not want to hear bad news. Not after Ron’s put downs. The fear faded when she saw the broad smile on Lily Potter’s face.

“You’ve got it Hermione. Acceptance to Berkley’s Masters Program for Physics.”

Hermione sagged. Then she cried tears of relief. After some coddling from the two witches she pulled herself together.

“What next?”

“Do not worry about your tuition expenses,” Lily told her firmly. “The Potter Scholarship Fund will finance your Masters program. By the time you’ve finished I’m certain you’ll qualify for grants and scholarships for a Doctorate program.” She raised an imperious eyebrow when Hermione opened her mouth to protest. “And don’t argue with me young lady. You’re like another daughter to me. And I know Muggle universities would have fought for the privilege of having you as a student,” she said pride shining in her eyes. “You’ve been a joy and a pleasure to care for, to mentor.”

“And I strongly second that,” Minerva added with bright eyes. “It has been a pleasure. I can honestly say I taught some of the most brilliant witches and wizards of this century and you are definitely on top of the list Hermione.”

“You know I do not give praise lightly Miss Granger,” Snape murmured. “So listen carefully because I will not repeat this again. It was a joy teaching you, shaping your mind and magic into the witch I see stand before me today. I know you will only do good things, make the world a better place for all, magical and not.”

Hermione could not stop the tears that escaped as she threw herself at the black-clad Potions Master and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Thank you sir. I won’t disappoint you.” She tilted her head back to meet his eyes. “I swear it.”

He looked down at her and nodded once. “I believe you will not.” Then he deftly broke free from her hug. “Now, I believe we will have to make plans for your trip to Earth. And living arrangements. Do you have any family on Earth?” He knew her parents were off-world.

“Yes. My parents are currently working for the Terran Embassy on Andoria. Their contract will end in four years. Until then I can visit them between terms.”

And then the conversation turned to the logistics of her trip and the details of her expunged history, what she would be expected to tell anyone inquiring about her past.

 


	2. Prophetic Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione meets several individuals who will come to be part of her new world, her new family.

Jim Kirk ducked down a narrow alley between two buildings and turned left onto a cobblestone street lined with artsy boutiques and more expensive cafes and teashops, not the usual hangouts for Starfleet cadets. Jim didn’t have a lot of credits to splurge after his usual partying and drink-fests, but if he did he always visited Exotica Flavourings, a teahouse specializing in unique in-house blends.

The teenager behind the counter –Kelly– greeted him cheerfully, like any other long time customer before preparing his usual order, a tall chai flavoured with mandarin peel. He dropped his credits on the counter and picked up his waxed paper cup before making his way to a booth in the back. It was already occupied but that did not deter Jim. He plopped onto the seat across and tossed his knapsack on the bench beside him.

“Hey there stranger.”

The other occupant lifted her head. She was Caucasian with pale creamy skin, an oval plain-featured face framed by a springy halo of light brown curls. She wore no make-up, nothing to accent her features or to highlight and emphasize her pale brown eyes and arched eyebrows.

“Hello James.” Her voice was low and throaty, her expression amused but tone placid as she took in his slouched posture. Jim found himself sitting up straight in reaction. “How’ve you been? Still having problems at the Academy.”

Jim pouted and debated for an instant before speaking. “Yeah. No matter how good I am they still hate me. So I’m not gonna bother!” he concluded with a defiant challenging look.

To his surprise she simply nodded. “If they cannot see past the surface to your true character they do not want to know you. I’ve learnt the hard way to not bother with people like that. Trying to make them change their minds is an exercise in futility.”

“You agree with me?”

She arched a brow. “Haven’t I just said so?”

“Yes! But it’s a surprise. Everyone I’ve talked to, Pike, Bones, they say I should keep trying. That I’ll have to work with the other cadets eventually when I get assigned to a ship and changing my rep will be hard.”

She snorted softly. “Your reputation will follow you to your death bed but let me tell you something my old Chemistry teacher told me: A man’s honour is never linked to his reputation because only he can stain his honour while he cannot control what other people say about him.”

Jim fell silent as he absorbed the words. She was right, just like she always was. He smiled faintly and sipped his flavoured chai as he mused over their odd relationship. Mya was one of the few individuals who looked past the surface, his looks and names, to **really** see Jim Kirk, the adrenaline-junkie who wanted to fly between the stars. She was not interested in currying favours or sleeping with him. She only wanted to be friends. Heck, she was more sisterly and more of a mother-hen than his own kin. Not for the first time he wished he was intimately attracted to her because he doubted he would ever meet another girl like her.

He inhaled heavily and plotted on how to ensure she always stayed in his life. Mya said she was a final-year Masters student in Berkley and she was not interested in joining Starfleet. _I plan on completing my degree and going back home to Avalon, to work for the company that sponsored my education._ When he tried to hook her up with his doctor friend – his best and only friend to be really honest – she had patted his cheek and declined the blind date. _I’m too busy with my studies for a love life. Besides I already have someone I’m committed to._

Jim scowled ferociously and wondered exactly what made her so committed to Avalon, to some small backwater star system that wasn’t even a Federation world.

She must have read his mind – like she always did – because she laughed. “Avalon is home. Avalon has people who are like me, a little off and skewed.” She smiled inviting his reactionary smile because he understood that. He too was a little skewed, only he never grew up among those who understood and accepted that. But Mya had.

But didn’t mean he wasn’t going to just give up on getting her to change her mind!

She gave him a tolerant look and glanced at her watch. “I’m sorry to do this to you Jim but I have to get going.” Jim was confused and hurt. He just got here! They hadn’t had the chance to really talk! She scooped her PADDs into her bookbag and leaned across the table to touch his cheek. “I have to meet with my advisor.”

“What for?” Jim asked as he watched her stand up and slip the strap over one shoulder.

“My application to the PhD program,” she said as she walked away.

“I thought you were going to take a gap year and go back home!” Jim yelled.

She raised a hand and waved though she did not turn back. “I changed my mind,” she said just as she went through the exit.

Jim slouched back against the padded backrest of the booth and wondered what could have made Mya change her plans. She was usually a fiend about following her planned schedules and timelines.

He sipped his cooling chai and sighed. He’d get it out of her at their next meeting.

 

~ooOoo~

 

Lt Commander Spock was frowning inwardly though his outward visage had its usual bland mask-like appearance.

“Spock, it won’t kill you to accompany me on my tours. Who knows, you might learn something new and interesting.”

“I doubt that Christopher,” Spock murmured as he shortened his stride to match his mentor, Captain Christopher Pike. “My interest lie in scientific research and advancements, not students.”

“Ah, but students become doctors and scientists who write the papers you so admire,” Pike pointed out firmly. “Besides, you were a student as well when you wrote all those papers for those science journals.”

Spock opened his mouth and shut it. It would be racist and insensitive to point out that he was a Vulcan and more intellectually advanced compared to humans. Besides, he had met several fairly young humans with great intellects. In fact…

“Are we meeting Doctor Epps?”

Pike raised a brow. “You know Charlie Epps?”

“I maintain a correspondence with him. He has… unique insight.”

Pike laughed, a short sharp sound. “Insight. A real polite say of saying he’s scares a lot of people with what his brain conjures.”

“Doctor Epps does not conjure anything. His insight allows him to determine patterns for outcomes and origins more effectively than most computer simulations and even Vulcans,” Spock said slowly.

“Yeah. He’s a genius. Starfleet has been trying to bribe him into joining the Faculty for years now. We’ve pretty much given up on getting him out of CalSci but his students have great potential. We’ve got quite a few good references from him.”

“And is there another reason for this meeting?”

“Why do you ask?”

“If you were interested in references Doctor Epps could have easily sent the relevant files to you,” Spock pointed out blandly.

“True.” After turning down a side hallway Pike continued. “Charlie has indicated he has a good candidate for a Starfleet research grant.”

Spock’s brown eyes narrowed fractionally. “Oh?”

“Yeah. You know it’s been Starfleet policy to finance interesting research. Most turn out to be nothing that we can use, except for royalty income when licensed, but Charlie sounded pretty exciting about this one. One of his senior graduate students.”

“Doctor Epps is the head of Theoretical Math,” Spock noted. “I do not see how a human graduate student of mathematics can be of interest to Starfleet. Most of the advanced pure math research takes place at the Vulcan Science Academy.”

“That’s what we’re here to find out,” Pike concluded as they stopped before a set of metal doors. There was a small plaque on the wall beside it inscribed with the words ‘Doctor Charles Epps, Head of Theoretical Math’. He tapped the intercom pad below it and spoke. “Captain Pike and Lt Commander Spock to see Doctor Charlie Epps.”

There was a noticeable pause before the door slid open in invitation. The two Starfleet officers stepped into the academic office, not too big with walls lined from floor to ceiling with metal bookcases overflowing with printed volumes, piles of PADDs, holographic models of Mandelbrot simulations, and other paraphernalia. In the middle of the room was a desk similarly overflowing with PADDs and a workstation. The chair behind it was occupied by a distracted looking young man with dark curly hair wearing a flannel shirt. There were two chairs on the other side, for students or guests. One was occupied by a young woman with curly light brown hair twisted into a haphazard bun secured by wooden chopsticks?

If Spock was one to goggle he would have. He simply watched her turn towards him, no them, and examine Pike and himself with pale brown eyes. He watched her rise, clutching the bookbag strap, sliding it over one shoulder.

“I’m sorry Doctor Epps, I didn’t realize you had another appointment right after our meeting.”

“No, no Hermione,” Charles Epps said waving off her apologies. “I wanted Captain Pike to meet you.” He rose from his seat and came around the desk to stand next to her. “Hermione, meet Captain Christopher Pike and Lt Commander Spock. Chris, Lt, meet Hermione Granger, the last candidate for CalSci’s doctoral program for next year.” He winked at the blushing young woman. “She just managed to squeak in her application just under the deadline. Not that I wouldn’t have pulled a few strings.”

She made a soft snorting sound. “Doctor Epps, the deadline is today, in thirty minutes. I think I did a pretty good job getting the paperwork in.”

Charles Epps shrugged. “Yeah, but I still needed your signature and in-person authorization.”

Hermione Granger growled. “And you were too busy to squeeze me in before today.”

Christopher looked intrigued. “Busy Charlie?” he asked in a soft drawl.

Charles Epps avoided the pointed looks from his student and Christopher. Interesting. Spock watched as he instead diverted Christopher’s attention.

“Hermione is one of my best students and a real genius. Her Masters thesis was truly cutting edge, a new approach combining calculus and number theory with physics. It is still theory but it has great potential to develop completely new sciences and technology,” Charles Epps said in a firm serious tone, his expression animated and gleeful, almost childlike.

“Charlie!” Hermione Granger hissed poking at the mathematician who looked to be only a few years older than herself. “It’s only speculation!”

Spock was not certain how far to believe Doctor Epps but Christopher looked intrigued by the claims.

“Is Doctor Epps correct Miss Granger?”

She started and blushed at being addressed directly. “I’m sorry but I can’t say for certain,” she said softly. “I haven’t had the time to fully develop the equations.” Doctor Epps cut her off.

“Hermione is onto something Chris,” he said with a serious expression. “I **looked** at the numbers and the preliminary simulations generated by her first data set. The harmonics, the physics,” he pursed his lips. “Technology developed using these equations could potentially allow controlled energy destabilization and redirection.”

“What?” Christopher looked baffled but Spock understood.

“Regenerating shields.”

She looked at him with an approving expression. “And shield busters,” she added. “Theoretically we could use incoming phaser fire, plasma from photon torpedoes to power shields. And in reverse, to destabilize and bring down shields.”

Christopher leaned forward minutely. “Do you have your preliminary proofs?”

She looked towards Charles Epps who nodded encouragingly. Hesitantly she reached into her book bag, pulled out a PADD, and held it out. Spock did not have to think twice about taking the device and opening the files, quickly skimming and cross-referencing the documents. He did not take long. Her work was laid out very logically, flowing consistently in one direction and back-references and assumptions were clearly marked. He was not quite sure how she had come up with the equations – they seemed to be based on a set of rules he was not familiar with – but logic was sound and he could not find any obvious holes and said so.

“Your work is quite impressive and thorough for a Masters mathematical thesis.”

“My bachelors degree is in physics. My intent was to work on a cross-disciplinary degree.”

Spock nodded and turned to Christopher. “I cannot find any obvious holes but I would like to review the set of rules you used as a base.”

She hesitated. “I cannot provide them,” she said finally. “The information is proprietary but I have permission to use it.”

“Starfleet is willing to pay any applicable patent fees,” Christopher told her.

“I need to speak to my old teachers,” Hermione Granger demurred without promising anything.

“Please do,” Christopher said. “Starfleet would definitely be interested in financing your research and your degree.” She gave him a sharp look. “I’m not kidding. You’ve impressed Spock and that alone takes some doing.”

“But I can’t guarantee any technology,” she warned. “Our current manufacturing capabilities may not be able to produce the required components.”

“But if it is, will it work?” Christopher questioned.

She raised her chin firmly. “Yes. I know my math is good.” Spock was struck by her confidence, her absolute certainty. This was not a boastful claim.

Christopher smiled, pleased with her response. “Then leave the engineering side to us. Starfleet Engineering Corp would be most interested in participating in a revolutionary project, from the design and prototype construction to testing. This might be the cutting edge for the next generation of ships.” He turned to Doctor Epps. “Charlie, make a note on Miss Granger’s paperwork that Starfleet will pick up her lab and research expenses and she has authority to draw on the Academy facilities and staff as needed.”

Doctor Epps was grinning broadly. “Thanks Chris.” He turned to Hermione Granger. “With your plans all pushed up I’m assuming you’re going to be studying year round?” She nodded. “Then I’m certain I will have the privilege of introducing Doctor Granger within two years.”

Spock quirked a brow. Two years? Christopher must have felt the same because he echoed the words.

“Two years? Don’t you think you’re pushing it Charlie?”

Charles Epps laughed. “Oh no. Hermione Granger has a plan and she never falls behind. In fact she’s ahead of schedule a whole year.” Then he gave her a more thoughtful look. “You never explained it to me though. I thought you were going to take a gap year and go back to Avalon to relax and catch up with your friends?”

Hermione Granger wrinkled her nose. “That was the plan. In fact I had left a little earlier than planned to surprise them.” She made a sour face. “Unfortunately I was the one surprised.”

From the expressions on Doctor Epps and Christopher’s faces Spock knew he was missing something, some subtle context.

“What happened?” Doctor Epps demanded to know.

She looked away, at a three-d animated hologram of a Mandelbrot set blooming and decaying. Finally she spoke. “I found Ron in bed with another woman.” She smiled tremulously at Doctor Epps who looked furious. “It wasn’t her fault. She didn’t know about me.” She laughed lightly. “She was very angry with him because apparently he had been lying to her, to me, for months.”

“What did you do?” Doctor Epps asked hesitantly.

“I returned his ring and left. Thankfully I hadn’t unpacked anything and the freighter was still in orbit.”

Doctor Epps frowned. “I don’t understand. I thought you had other friends on Avalon. Ginny? Harry? Luna? Why didn’t they tell you about what was happening? Did he hide it from them?”

Hermione Granger laughed, a short unhappy sound. “Oh they knew. They didn’t tell me anything because they were hoping he’d come to his senses and break things off before I returned and found out.”

Christopher cleared his throat delicately. Hermione Granger looked at him. “And how do you feel about that?”

“Very hurt and angry. More at my friends for lying to me. At Ron for not being honest. He could have been up front and broken it off but he chose to go around my back and lie.”

Christopher studied her shrewdly. “You aren’t very upset with him.”

“Not anymore. In fact I’m grateful I found out before the wedding.”

Christopher winced and nodded. “That would have been messy.”

Hermione Granger lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “C’est la vie.” She turned to Doctor Epps and smiled more genuinely. “I’m going to visit some friends in Europe. I will be back within ten days.”

“That sounds perfect.” Doctor Epps said agreeably. “Comm. me when you return to set up a meeting.”

Hermione Granger turned towards Spock and inclined her head. “It was an honour meeting you Lt Commander Spock,” she murmured. She smiled more broadly as she turned to Christopher. “And you Captain Pike.”

“Call me Chris,” he insisted. “I have a strong feeling we’re going to be seeing each other plenty. Spock too, seeing how interested he is in your math. He hasn’t returned your PADD.”

Spock looked down at his hands and realized Christopher was right. He was still holding onto Hermione Granger’s PADD, the one containing her reference material and Masters thesis. He blushed a faint green before holding it out to her.

She shook her head. “Please feel free to review it and provide me with your feedback. I would like to read your comments.”

He inclined his head. “As you wish.”

She inclined her head in affirmation before bowing to each of them in turn. “It was a pleasure meeting both of you.” She faced Doctor Epps and said, “I’ll set up an appointment when I get back from Europe.”

“I’ll be waiting for it.”

She smiled and shifted her book bag so it rested more securely over her shoulder before leaving the office.

Christopher turned to Doctor Epps. “Is she solid?”

“Absolutely,” Doctor Epps assured him. “Even if she doesn’t get permission to reveal her full sources you can submit a request to Avalon’s Planetary Council. I can find out the name of the primary liaison on the Federation Council. He or She should be able to arrange any necessary contracts for proprietary information.”


	3. New Ties, Shattered Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione gets some bad news but she has plenty of support.  
> And exactly what is going on between her and Spock?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One minor grammer edit July 12

Christopher Pike’s predictions turned out to be prophetic. In the months that followed, Spock found himself in regular correspondence with her, over video, via text messages and the occasional in-person meetings that turned into regular weekly appointments to review her latest results and revise the models. Hermione, no Mya, worked on the theoretical aspects while he provided the programming simulations expertise.

“Come on! It’s perfect as is!”

He did not look at his companion. “Perfection is an abstract concept,” he corrected her with an oblique look.

“From my perspective it’s good enough for a test,” she countered briskly. “We need to carry out an experiment to provide some hard data for the next set of re-definitions.”

He tapped his PADD, saving his files before putting it down. Then he opened the simulation, her most current effort and skimmed the design frame and premises. It was succinct, almost elegant with a clarity he rarely saw in non-Vulcan research, almost poetic despite the minor flaws and gaps that would need to be bridged. But as she said it was sufficient for experimentation. So far all her theories had been confirmed and supported by computer simulations. Spock had to re-write the simulator O/S to include the strange unknown math and curious high energy physics that was the base of her research. Spock was desperately curious to learn more about the science but Mya was oddly reluctant to share the information. If he were a human he would have pressed, but he wasn’t, he was Vulcan and he respected her right to privacy.

“You are right. All the computer simulations have been successful and we need a live experiment to proceed.”

She beamed happily at him. “Okay then. I know engineering is not my expertise but I can help.”

And the two of them bent their heads over the workstation to determine the best way to design a working model.

 

**~ooOoo~ooOoo~ooOoo~**

 

Spock saved his files and put down his PADD. He was ashamed to admit even to himself that he was too distracted to mark the papers from his Advanced Vulcan Linguistics class. He leaned back in his chair looking absently at the display of ancient Vulcan weapons hung on the walls of his domicile. He was not seeing the weapons. He was seeing a particular human: Mya Granger.

In the year after he had first met her, the months since their first successful simulation Spock had found himself cutting back on his teaching load and personal research in favour of her project at CalSci or secure Starfleet Engineering Corps labs. They had finally successfully designed, built, and tested a small scale model of her energy re-distributor. It handled up to three point one seven percent of power generated by a standard shuttle craft engine. The possibilities made him eager to design scale up for a full shuttle and eventually a small research vessel.

To his surprise Mya was the one who insisted on proceeding slowly, to avoid involving additional faculty members or Starfleet officers. _This is dangerous stuff Spock. I don’t want to build the Manhattan bomb without having some damn good built-in fail safes to prevent abuse and espionage._ She was of course correct. The design they settled on had the fail safe built right into it, impossible to remove without destroying the unit. In addition it could not be activated without a unique activation code transmitted on a specific frequency. Anything else would make it self-destruct.

His eagerness to make progress meant spending hours in her company. He already had copies of seven hundred and twenty five text message correspondence, sixty nine point one hours of video conferencing, and approximately five hundred and seven point eight hours of in-person sessions, all related to this one project over a time span of fourteen months. Spock had never spent so much time working with a single person on one specific project, Vulcan or a fellow Starfleet officer.

She had a very attractive mind and personality, Spock had to admit to himself. Her mental discipline and relentless focus made him suspect she was psi, because she was so strongly shielded she didn’t ‘leak’ no matter how frustrated she appeared to be. Spock had been curious enough to test his theory by ‘accidentally’ brushing his hand against her bare arm one day. He had been surprised and intrigued to discover out he was right, because he hadn’t telepathically sensed anything from her.

It was confirmed when one day she actually projected calm and succeeded in soothing him. Spock had been affected by a combination of factors: the cool weather, his first-year students who were not interested in studying for good grades, the extra courses that were limiting his lab time. And it was not just him. He had witnessed many minor incidents where she had soothed volatile human and alien colleagues and sent them off smiling and in more pleasant frame of minds. If he wasn’t in a relationship with Nyota Spock could easily imagine pursuing a relationship with Mya Granger.

Spock stood up and moved to his bedroom to change. He needed to meditate and put away such frivolous thoughts.

 

~ooOoo~

 

Hermione rolled over in her bed and tried to find a comfortable position. She could not go to sleep. It was becoming worse. She swung her legs over the side and sat up before standing and making her way to her kitchenette dressed in just the over-sized tee she preferred to use for nightshirts.

While the water heated she prepared a mug with a chamomile tea bag and a spoon of honey. She leaned against the counter edge and scraped her curls back as she tried to ignore the focus of her distractions.

The water was boiling. She filled the cup and covered it, to give it time to steep.

“You’re an idiot Hermione Granger,” she told herself out loud. “He’s a Vulcan and in no way interested in a relationship with an emotional human. Besides, he probably committed to some Vulcan girl back home.”

All Vulcans were betrothed in childhood though the pair might grow up and live apart and never meet each other until the wedding day. Most assumed it was a choice of Vulcan logic but Hermione strongly suspected there were other reasons, biological reasons. A CalSci Vulcan faculty member became sick a few months after she started attending CalSci. Hermione had seen him, almost sweating and shaky, almost unable to walk. The Vulcan Embassy had sent four male security officers to escort him back to the Embassy. He returned to work three weeks later looking normal and completely healthy. She later heard he had gotten married. One year later he became a father to a little girl. The dates and gestation periods indicated the daughter had been conceived during his ‘illness’. Hermione knew illness and had been around sick Vulcans before (because Vulcans did not see any point in resting while they were still capable of working) and even when feverish they had not acted the way Varihn had. In fact Hermione had only seen similar reactions in Veelas and certain magical creatures when they were in heat.

She removed the lid and gave it a quick stir to mix the honey and remove the tea bag and toss it in the recycler. Then she lifted the mug cradled in both hands to sip the hot liquid. Her brain barely processed the sweet liquid, her thoughts were focused on Spock’s betrothed. Did he like her? Did he correspond with her? He never talked about her to Hermione. And he did talk about his mother, his mentor-relationship with Chris, and very rarely his father.

Was he awake? Was he wondering?

It was late but she could not resist pressing the keys for a voice-only call. She was pleased when he picked up.

“Is something wrong Mya?”

“No. I just wanted to talk to you.”

“About what?” he asked patiently.

Hermione blushed hotly. She couldn’t tell him she wanted to know about his betrothed back home. What to say, what to say? Then her frantic mind managed to latch onto something.

“About the new engineer. Thank you so much for recommending Lt Scott. He is picking up on the math much faster than I expected. I think with him onboard we can definitely move up the timeframe for a larger-scale field test.”

“Then you must thank Christopher.”

“Where did Chris find him anyway?”

“On an ice-moon,” Spock answered deadpan.

“What?!” she sputtered almost incoherent. “Scotty is a genius! What on earth was he doing on an ice-moon?”

“Nothing. And I believe that was the point.”

“What am I missing?”

“Lt Scott engaged in an unauthorized transporter experiment. Unfortunately the subject was Admiral Archer’s favourite beagle. The dog has not been seen since.”

Hermione hissed torn between laughter and exasperation. No wonder Scotty reminded her of the Weasley twins! “Oh dear!”

“Quite. Christopher had to engage in what you call ‘fast talking’ to persuade Archer to rescind Lt Scott’s punishment duty.”

“How?” Hermione asked curious. Admiral Jonathan Archer was not one to change his mind.

“He implied Lt Scott was needed to work on a theoretical pure-math project. A horror for one who prefers hardware and ships.” Spock paused. “Are you having any difficulties controlling his tendencies to go off track to experiment?”

“Oh no! I have plenty of experience dealing with unruly boys and Monty is easy once you know his buttons.”

“Buttons?”

“He’ll do anything for a good sandwich. And I make a mean Philly steak and cheese melt.” Hermione explained between sips of tea.

“You mentioned the possibility of accelerating the timeframe?”

“Yes. With him on board I think we will be ready for a starship scale test within six months.”

“Which particular class do you have in mind?”

Hermione smiled though she knew he could not see it. “I was thinking Constitution, the new ship _Enterprise_. I know she’s still in the shipyards so we can request some special modifications before she’s launched.”

“That sounds intriguing. I will inform Christopher of the possibility. I believe he will be most interested as he is slated to be Captain.”

“Good. Ask him to call me if he needs something specifically from me.”

“Is there anything else you wish to communicate?”

“No. Thank you for answering my call Spock. I know it’s pretty late.”

“I have not yet retired.”

“Then you should do so. Good night.”

“Good night Mya.”

 

**~ooOoo~ooOoo~ooOoo~**

 

Spock was vaguely disturbed by the entire situation. He resisted the urge to glare at Doctor Epps. It was not an admirable reaction. It would only reveal his lack of control.

“You know where Miss Granger is. Mya,” he added emphasizing the closer-than-normal relationship he shared with their common friend and colleague/student.

Doctor Epps looked like he wanted to scuttle away and hide. But he didn’t. In fact he stiffened and met the Vulcan’s eyes without flinching. “I do.”

Spock waited. Doctor Epps had more fortitude than Spock had anticipated. “May I inquire as to her current location and condition?” The human looked baffled. If Spock was the type to sigh and hiss impatiently he would have. “It is not her nature to be inconsiderate. She has always sent me a message when she was delayed or had to reschedule.”

Doctor Epps hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Mya got some bad news today. She left early and won’t be back for a few days. More like the rest of the week.” Under the heavy unrelenting eyes he continued. “Her parents, they were travelling back from Andoria for a family Christmas on Earth. There was a hull breach, nothing negligent on part of the shipping company, just a bad combination of several variables. Several passengers died, including Hermione’s parents.” Doctor Epps was silent, swallowing hard for several moments before he continued. “Their… remains are in transit. Mya is struggling with the estate and her grief. I asked Don, my brother, to help her with all the official matters. He’s with the regional LEO and has experience.” He smiled wanly. “He used to be a homicide detective. After determining the cause of death the victim’s families need to be helped, guided.”

“You mentioned she was having difficulties with the estate?”

Doctor Epps frowned. “The individuals listed to be the executors are deceased, or ill. I’m afraid Doctors Grangers did not revise their will in the last five years. Hermione had not been prepared for this. And she is worried about the funeral arrangements. I’ve reassured her instructors will extend any deadlines, but she is still worried.”

Spock considered the information and nodded. “I understand Doctor Epps.” He stood and inclined his head in a shallow bow before leaving.

 

~ooOoo~

 

Later that same day Hermione Granger was distracted by someone at her door. She put down the PADD of legal documents she was trying to translate and walked over to see who it was. An unfamiliar older Vulcan woman with grey streaked black hair and severe features.

“Miss Hermione Granger?” she asked in the clipped accent Hermione was so used to.

“Yes. And you are?”

“I am T’Wan, an associate of Hollinder, Shazen, and Varun, lawyers specializing in Federation member planets family and estate law. My fees have already been paid by S’chn T’Gai Spock and will not be refunded if you refuse my services,” she added firmly.

Hermione shut her mouth. “Are you my lawyer or his?” she asked finally.

T’Wan raised a brow, so very Vulcan, and responded “Yours” in a firm clear voice, as though it was never in doubt. To her it probably wasn’t.

Hermione moved aside to allow T’Wan to enter her small flat.

“It wasn’t supposed to be this complicated,” she said softly. “The off-planet holdings were supposed to have been sold when they got closer to retirement, to finance it. They had too many interests, time-shares, part-ownership. Too many laws and rules. It’s all a mess,” Hermione confessed.

“Do not worry _T’sai_ , that is what I am here to do. To clear it all up and make it tidy for you.”

 

~ooOoo~

 

Two days later Spock received a message from Hermione that was short and succinct.

~o~

_Thank you Spock. T’Wan was really thorough and helpful._

_Since you will most certainly refuse my offer to refund the cost of the fees you must allow me to cook for you. Sometime in February. Let me know what day works best for you._

_Mya_

~o~

Spock smiled faintly and reviewed his mental planner, occasionally referring to his PADD before picking a date and messaging it to her. February 20th. He wondered what she would cook. She had a wide repertoire of intriguing vegetarian dishes.

 

~ooOoo~

 

“I’m really sorry for your loss Mya.”

When Hermione ran into Jim at Exotica Flavourings she wasn’t too surprised to discover he already knew her parents had died. But she did want to know how he found out.

“How did you find out?”

Jim looked shifty before he crumbled under her direct stare. “I spoke to Scotty who heard it from Charlie.”

“Oh.”

Jim was quick to continue. “Don’t blame Charlie Mya. He just wanted to make sure no one would say or do something stupid. Like pressure you to hand in a paper, or volunteer for some holiday activity.”

Hermione shook her head. “No, I need to get out and do something,” she whispered. “I can’t be alone.”

Jim scooted over in the booth and wrapped one arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry Mya, I won’t leave you alone. And if I need to go I’ll make sure someone is with you. Bonds and Scotty and Christine and Charlie. Hey, even his parents and brother like you. And if you don’t want to do Christmasy stuff Bones and I are okay with staying in. It’ll definitely help my budget if I don’t go out partying.”

Hermione laughed wetly and hit his thigh. “Oh James!”

“Hey! I’m being honest here. You should be rewarding me, not hitting me.”

“I am. By not stabbing you with a pin.”

Jim was just glad he had made her laugh. He didn’t like seeing Mya so down and unhappy.


	4. Battle for Vulcan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Experimental technology proves to be a huge ace-in-the-hole when the Enterprise goes up against the Narada. And Spock discovers a few facets in Uhura's character.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hugely AU from the movie. Covers most of the key events in the movie as well. Spoiler alert!!

Several months later Jim found himself trying to recall the calm sensations that being around Mya caused in him, to slow his racing thoughts and gentle his tongue. He could not to run off wild. He had to get them on his side. With logic. Fuck.

“Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine to the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test.”

Jim leaned back and remained cool. “Your point being?”

Admiral Barnett looked torn between annoyance and amusement. “In academic vernacular, you cheated.”

Jim turned to face his accuser. “Let me ask you something I think we all know the answer to. The test itself is a cheat, isn’t it? You programmed it to be unwinnable.”

The smug bastard raised a brow. “Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario.”

“I don’t believe in no-win scenarios.”

“Then not only did you violate the rules, you also failed to understand the principle lesson.”

Jim was furious and almost ready to physically attack the smug bastard. He had only hacked the code because the bloody Vulcan had programmed the _Kobayashi Maru_ to be unwinnable. The stupid bastard was too stubborn to see there was no such thing as a no-win scenario. Jim refused to believe it.

“Please, enlighten me.”

“You of all people should know Cadet Kirk. A Captain cannot cheat death.”

Jim went very still. “I of all people?”

“Your father, Lt George Kirk, assumed command of his vessel before being killed in action, did he not?”

Jim did not like where this was going. “I don’t think you like the fact that I beat your test.”

The Vulcan ignored him and went on. “Furthermore, you have failed to divine the purpose of the test.”

“Enlighten me again.”

“The purpose is to experience fear. Fear in the face of certain death. To accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and one’s crew. This is a quality expected in every Starfleet captain.”

Just then an aide stepped through the side doors and up to the Academic Board and said, “Excuse me, sir,” before handing a PADD to Admiral Barnett.

The Admiral scanned it before looking up. “We’ve received a distress call from Vulcan. With our primary fleet engaged in the Laurentian system, I hereby order all cadets to report to Hanger One immediately. Dismissed.”

 

**~ooOoo~ooOoo~ooOoo~**

 

Pike went through the cargo manifest reviewing what had been loaded in the scant time allowed before launch. His eyes fell on one particular item. He tapped the icon and began reviewing the details.

“Spock I see we have the prototype on board.”

His First Officer looked up and nodded. “It was part of the first shipments sent to be loaded. Before the distress signal was received.”

The Captain considered the possibilities and the current situation. Christopher Pike was uneasy about the situation though he had not voiced any protest to the Admiralty. The Vulcans would not send a distress signal without a damn good reason. And for them a good reason for a planetary distress signal would be the equivalent of Armageddon for most other races. But despite his unease, over the lack of information, Starfleet had to respond to the distress signal. But it wouldn’t hurt to have a few aces…

“Has it been installed?”

He was secretly pleased to see the question had stunned Spock. But the boy recovered quickly enough.

“No. It is still in the shipping container.”

Pike nodded and tapped in a series of commands before sealing the orders with a thumbprint. “Have a team set it up. Just in case.”

“Captain, it is against protocol to install untested equipment before a new vessel has undergone a full ten day shakedown cruise. We do not know how well it will integrate with the _Enterprise’s_ power systems.”

“Just do it Spock. Besides between you, Mya, and Lt Scott, I think the kinks have been pretty much worked out.”

Spock wanted to protest but he knew better than to ignore direct orders without a very good reason. “Very well Captain.”

Pike returned his attention to the cargo manifest. They didn’t have enough supplies for a long cruise or extra passengers. He hoped the _Enterprise_ would not be required to evacuate as many Vulcans as she could manage. They might be able to cram the evacuees like sardines in a can but it wouldn’t do any good if there wasn’t anything to eat or breath.

 

~ooOoo~

 

Thirty minutes later Pike was cursing himself. His instincts and Kirk’s wild story turned out to be true. The ship that destroyed the Kelvin, the one that most likely destroyed Praxis, the one that had destroyed seven Starfleet vessels, was attacking Vulcan…

“Captain, they are locking torpedoes.”

Pike responded instantly. “Avert auxiliary power from the port nacelles to forward shields.” The ship shuddered as the torpedoes slammed into the _Enterprise_. “Sulu, status report.”

“Shields at thirty-two percent. They’re weapons are powerful sir. We can’t take another hit like that.”

His eyes were intent on the viewscreen. What an ugly malicious looking ship. All swollen and bloated, like a spider. “Get me Starfleet Command.”

The response from Spock was not encouraging. “Captain, the Romulan ship has lowered some kind of high energy pulse device into the Vulcan atmosphere. Its signal appears to be blocking our communications and transporter abilities.”

Pike considered his options. Training and instincts screamed to reinforce the shields and fire phasers. He chose not to.

Slender fingers tapped his arm rest to open a channel with Engineering.

“Lt Simmons, is Flamel’s Gambit online?”

The response from engineering was almost instantaneous. “Almost ready Captain. Just a few more minutes to re-route the power conduits to handle it.”

“Work faster Mr Simmons. We have a spider ready to devour us.”

“Understood Captain.”

They waited in tense silence for Engineering to report readiness. The silence was broken by Cadet Uhura who had taken over Communications.

“Captain we’re being hailed.”

And then the viewscreen image changed to a close-up of a heavily tattooed and feral looking Romulan.

“Hello.”

 _Hello to you too, you lunatic_. Pike didn’t say it out loud of course. “I’m Captain Christopher Pike. To whom am I speaking?”

The Romulan smiled, not a reassuring expression. “Hi Christopher, I’m Nero.”

Pike refused to be distracted. “You’ve declared war against the Federation. Withdraw. I’ll agree to arrange a conference with Romulan leadership at a neutral location.”

Nero scowled. “I do not speak for the Empire. We stand apart, as does your Vulcan crewmember, isn’t that right, Spock?”

Pike was very aware of his XO stepping forward to stand beside him before speaking. “Pardon me, I do not believe that you and I are acquainted.”

“No, we’re not. Not yet. Spock, there’s something I would like you to see. Captain Pike, your transporter has been disabled. As you can see by the rest of your armada, you have no choice. You will man a shuttle, come aboard the _Narada_ for negotiations. That is all.”

Before Pike could respond the viewscreen image switched back to an outside view of the _Narada_.

Pike stood up from his chair.

Kirk was the first to speak. “He’ll kill you, you know that.”

Spock wasn’t far behind. “Your survival is highly unlikely.”

Kirk glared at Spock before turning to Pike. “Captain, we gain nothing by diplomacy. Going over to that ship is a mistake.”

“I, too, agree. You should re-think your strategy.”

Pike waited until both fell silent and listened. “I understand that. And I agree.”

He tapped the intercom built into the armrest. “Lt Simmons, I really need Flamel’s Gambit.”

“Prototype ready for activation sir.”

“Let’s hope so Lt,” Pike said grimly looking around at his crew. “Prepare for engagement.” He turned to Spock with a wry smile. “I hope your science experiment works as designed Commander Spock.”

Spock stiffened with an affronted look. “Of course sir.” Then his expression turned uncertain. “If the power conduits don’t blow. It was not designed to handle energy levels that the _Narada_ seems capable of generating.”

“I understand Commander. But we don’t have much of a choice.”

 

~ooOoo~

 

Seventy minutes later Cadet Jim Kirk found himself as Acting Captain Kirk and in command of the _Enterprise_. Flamel’s Gambit, whatever the heck it was, had worked beautifully. Instead of being ripped apart like the other Starfleet ships, the _Enterprise_ ’s shields had in fact been reinforced by the _Narada_ ’s attacks, the phaser beams and the photon torpedo explosions. Up to a point. The _Enterprise_ had eventually become battered and structurally compromised, suffering horrendous casualties, but they had won. The secondary function had also actually worked as conceptualized, permanently taking **down** the _Narada_ ’s shield. Nero had ordered a retreat but the _Enterprise_ had followed. Because they could not afford to let Nero escape and recoup.

“Status report,” he said hoarsely, his throat irritated from the volatile gases vented into the Bridge before Chekov had managed to patch the cracks. Unfortunately not before Chris had been sprayed with too much of the damn stuff.

_I’m sorry Jim but I can’t say the damage can ever be reversed. The gases are harmless in their separate components but when mixed they create a necrotic compound that causes permanent tissue damage. The usual treatment methods are tissue grafts and stem-cell therapy but in this case the gas vapours had washed over directly over the open wounds the Pike’s back. Sheer bad luck but intact skin would have helped to reduce damage. Even more bad luck, Pike’s open wounds were deep enough to expose his broken spine. Regenerating nerves is damn tricky and honestly with the tissue degeneration damage from the gases I don’t think he’s ever gonna walk again._

“We’re barely holding it together Kirk,” Sulu reported grimly. The pilot had taken over XO duties since Spock was stuck in Engineering. Spock was the only one with the knowledge to operate and fine-tune Flamel’s Gambit on the fly. It had never been intended to be used in battle. It was a prototype that was on board for a test run. Kirk stifled his hysterics. Well, this was definitely a successful test run for whoever designed and built the damn thing. He’d kiss that person. Hell, he’d lick his or her shoes! It was the only reason why the _Enterprise_ was more-or-less intact and the _Narada_ destroyed.

“Structural integrity has been compromised on four decks. Casualty reports are still coming in but so far we’ve lost fifty nine crew when the bulkheads were ripped open to space. Captain Pike is still out of commission and Commander Spock cannot reach the Bridge. The turbolifts have been compromised and several sections don’t have atmosphere. Lt Simmons has repair crews in skinsuits doing critical repairs.”

Next Kirk turned to Uhura. “Communications?”

“Communications is down. Whatever modifications were done, they didn’t take into account the transmission relays. Every single circuit was overloaded and burnt out. We are deaf and dumb to subspace and limited to light speed in-system transmissions only, no reception.”

“Engineering?” Kirk asked hoarsely and was relieved to hear Spock’s even tone over the intercom.

“We successfully averted anti-matter containment failure three times. Lt Simmons has taken the warp core offline for repairs. Impulse engines are still operational. Estimated repair time, four point six one hours.”

“Closest Starbase?” Kirk asked.

Chekov was quick to respond. “Is in the Wulcan star system.”

Kirk smiled faintly. “Chekov, set course for Vulcan. Uhura see what you can do about repairing the relays. The moment it is up I want the battle report and sensor data sent to Vulcan. They can send it onto Starfleet.”

Uhura looked about to protest but she caught herself. “Understood.”

Kirk was relieved. He wasn’t in any mood to fight his own damn crew. “Dismissed.”

 

~ooOoo~

 

Spock was on his third straight shift. So far his efficiency had not been degraded by the lack of sleep. Eighty-three percent of the critical repairs had been completed and Lt Simmons had just returned from a shortened rest period to take over. They would arrive at T’Khut orbital shipyard in ten point two seven hours, travelling at warp two since the structural integrity was too compromised for greater speeds.

Spock did not betray his relief as he left Engineering and made his way to his quarters for much needed sleep and meditation. As he slowly made his way through the damaged corridors he went over events of the last seventy two hours. The experiences, ranging from the academic disciplinary hearing to the _Narada_ Battle and aftermath, had been an unpleasant but much needed eye opener.

He was finally starting to comprehend what his Mother and Mya had been trying to make him accept, the reasons why humans valued instinct, gut feelings, and intuition. If Christopher had not insisted he go down to Engineering to set up Mya’s prototype just after they launched, if Kirk had not been present to take over the Captain’s duties when Christopher had been injured… the _Enterprise_ would not have survived. Mya’s creation had won the battle for them. Lt Chekov’s after-battle analysis report confirmed his observations. The energy beam the _Narada_ had turned on Vulcan would have eventually ripped through the mantle, destabilized the core, and ripped the planet apart. Just like Praxis.

He shivered in atavistic fear. If Christopher had not ordered Spock to install the prototype, the _Enterprise_ would have been helpless.

Firmly he pushed the thought, the possibility, out of his mind. He needed to meditate and rest.

 

~ooOoo~

 

Nyota Uhura was angry. And concerned. Spock had been so distant since the battle. Yes, the _Enterprise_ had suffered enormous casualties, and yes the jackass Kirk was still in command –Nyota still wasn’t sure why Spock had deferred the responsibility and honour – but they had won! Vulcan and the Federation were safe and that mad Romulan Nero was dead! They were alive and should be celebrating. Well, when they managed to get back to civilization. But even so the shell-shocked surviving crew members were taking full advantage of scant private moments to celebrate their victory. All of them but Spock.

She pressed her lips together and the tapped the code he had given her to his quarters. She knew it was unprofessional and intrusive to enter without requesting permission but she did not care. She wanted answers. She wanted to know why he was so distant, why did he allow Kirk to take command?

~o~

Spock tensed at the undesired intru– no, Nyota was not an intruder. But she was interrupting his solitude. From her expression she was unhappy. About what exactly Spock was uncertain. Humans took offence for the oddest things, imagined slights.

“Why did you allow Kirk to take command of the _Enterprise_? **You** are the First Officer.”

Spock did not have to think to answer. “It was a practical choice. I was the only one with the knowledge and skill to operate and repair any damage to Flamel’s Gambit. Captain Pike needed someone capable of thinking outside the box to take advantage of unexpected and unplanned events. Like the effects of Flamel’s Gambit. It was never intended to be used in an actual battle and no tactics have been developed with it in mind. As yet.”

“And when Captain Pike got injured? After the battle was over? Why haven’t you taken Command back?” Nyota wanted to know. “Kirk is not worthy of the honour. His reputation and actions will only damage Starfleet.”

Spock did not like Cadet Kirk but he had proven himself where it counted. He had kept the ship and crew together against impossible odds.

“It is unprofessional of you to speak so. Captain Pike considered him capable of handling commanded responsibilities and he has performed adequately. Besides I am of better use in engineering and assisting the repair crews.”

Nyota pouted. “Yes, about that. You’ve been working double and triple shifts! I hardly see you and don’t tell me you don’t need to rest because everyone does! It won’t hurt if you take a small break now and then.”

Spock shook his head dismayed by her unvoiced implied request. Could she not see how vulnerable they were right now? They were essentially drifting back to the T’Khut. He doubted the orbital repair facilities were intact. They would have had no defence against the _Narada_ but the _Enterprise_ should be able to scavenge enough parts and supplies to reinforce their patched repairs. If not they would have to wait for Starfleet to send a repair ship and tow her back to _Utopia Planetia_.

She must have sensed something because the pout faded and her expression hardened. “Look Spock. Kirk is a cheat and a liar. He is the worst possible person to be Captain of the _Enterprise_ , especially when we get back to Earth.”

Spock found himself in the odd position of defending the Cadet he had previously accused of academic misdemeanours.

“His performance was exemplarity and I am certain Captain Pike will file a report indicating so. If not I will do so myself.”

“He’s a whore!”

“Cadet Kirk’s lifestyle choices are not relevant,” Spock pointed out.

“You should be Captain!”

“That is not my ambition. I joined Starfleet for research and exploration opportunities.”

“Then someone who is more suitable should be Captain. Kirk’s still a cadet!”

“There are exemptions for when the chain of command is destroyed. And since Acting Captain Kirk has done an admirable job I see no benefit in removing a proven individual from the position. Besides he has greatly boosted crew morale with his battle and post-battle command decisions.”

Nyota shook her head. “I don’t understand this. He hacked into the _Kobayashi Maru_ simulation and cheated! You accused him of not understanding the weight of command. And now you’ve done a one-eighty turnaround and say he’s perfect to be Captain? What did he do to you? Sucked your cock?”

Spock stiffened minutely at the slur. “If you truly believe that of me then you do not know me at all. I believe our personal relationship is at an end Cadet Uhura.”

“Damn right it is!” she snarled before storming out of his quarters.

When the doors slid closed behind her Spock visibly slumped, exhausted by the emotional upheaval and general fatigue. After several minutes he made his way to a particular corner set up with an _asenoi_ and a thick square mat. He would not be able to sleep tonight without meditating to clear his mind.

~o~

Nyota knew she had crossed the line when she said Spock changed his mind because Kirk sucked his cock. She knew he would not do that. And she knew Kirk had done a good job in the battle against the _Narada_. Some of his tactics had been insane but between Chekov and Sulu the _Enterprise_ had pulled off the manoeuvres without being blasted into space debris.

It was one thing to accept Kirk was Captain in a battle, but afterwards? When there were other more acceptable senior and more suitable candidates? Nyota truly believed Kirk was the worst possible person to represent Starfleet and she was pretty sure most of the Admiralty and senior Captains would feel the same.

How would it look to the public, to have a Cadet who was supposed to be on probation for academic misdemeanours – for cheating and lying – as Acting Captain of Starfleet’s flagship?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No offense about making Uhura a bitch. Worked best that way in this particular story.


	5. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim discovers a few things about his friend and gets some good news.

Hermione refreshed the list of news headlines on her PADD. There was nothing new but she knew better than to pretend that everything was fine and dandy. She had heard from the Starfleet grapevine that most of the graduating glass had been sent out on eight ships, responding to a planetary distress signal from Vulcan. That had been more than seventy hours ago.

In an age with faster-than-light subspace communications, no news was bad news, especially when it was supposed to be from a ‘safe’ and stable region of space, a Federation world.

“Hermione? We have some news.” It was Charlie.

The witch looked up and towards the door of her lab with bleary gritty eyes. She had given up on sleeping in her flat, alone and far from her contacts. Intellectually she knew they could easily contact her when they heard something but emotionally she needed to be in their physical presence, to reassure herself that they were safe and healthy.

He was standing beside her now, holding out a cup of herbal tea. Peppermint. She waited for him to talk but he didn’t, simply gave her a pointed look. Grudgingly she accepted the cup and took three small sips. Satisfied he began telling her what he had just found out.

“My sources tell me Starfleet has received messages from the _Enterprise_. It’s confidential so don’t go telling everyone.” He waited until she nodded wordlessly before continuing. “Vulcan was attacked by a single Romulan ship. A ship from the future.”

Hermione went still. Mages had time turners and could travel less than twenty-four hours into the past but all time turner users knew you were **not** to interfere and make your presence known, especially to your past self. It could cause a reality destroying paradox.

“Any physical distortions? Dimensional ruptures? Time travel would leave a mark.”

“It happened in mid space. A lightening storm. Reports indicate this ship was the one that destroyed the Kelvin. It also completely destroyed Praxis. It destroyed the seven other Starfleet ships sent to Vulcan. It would have destroyed Vulcan as well if it wasn’t for the _Enterprise_.” He gave her a careful look. “Preliminary reports from Acting Captain Kirk says the _Narada_ was destroyed using experimental technology, the prototype for Flamel’s Gambit. They’ve suffered horrendous damage and casualties. Captain Pike was badly injured and is on life support. First Officer Spock has taken over Engineering. They are currently completing necessary repairs using Vulcan facilities and expect to return to Sol System in six days.”

Hermione burst into tears and wept, a mixture of relief and fear. Yes they were safe but that didn’t mean something else couldn’t happen between now and their expected arrival date.

Charlie wrapped an arm around her murmuring soft inconsequential words. He wasn’t used to crying women but he did the best he could, giving Hermione time to pull herself together. And she did.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

“It’s okay.” He gave her a look. “Why don’t you go to the Academy and stay on campus? Monty will find someplace for you until the _Enterprise_ gets back. I’m sure you want to see Christopher and Spock as soon as they get back.”

“Starfleet will want to debrief them.”

“But they will let family and friends see their loved ones.”

Hermione blushed. “I’m not that close–”

Charlie snorted. “Don’t bother lying to me. You’ve spent tons of time with Spock.”

“He’s my research partner!”

“He’s not a friend? You don’t care if he’s healthy and happy?”

“No! He is!” Then more quietly. “But Vulcans don’t like to admit they care.”

“But they do,” Charlie pointed out gently. “And besides, even if he is not as strongly attached to you, you are to him. It will make you feel better to see him in person and reassure yourself that he is fine.”

She considered the logic and nodded. “Okay. Do you know if Monty is busy today?”

Charlie smirked. “I asked him to meet us for lunch. We can pack some of your stuff and get you set up on campus.”

 

~ooOoo~

 

Montgomery Scott was not comfortable with emotional females and was enormously relieved to see Mya was not weeping and wailing. She was the sensible sort more interested in getting even than crying. But she was too quiet, almost robotic. This sad lady was not the Mya he wanted to see.

“I canna give ye too many details but Jimmy-boy, Captain Pike and Commander Spock are alive. The _Enterprise_ is a sturdy lass. She’ll get them home Mya-girl.”

He was the only Starfleet officer apart from Leonard McCoy to know she considered Jim Kirk a brother, as family. Jim was paranoid about his privacy and determined to keep his non-Starfleet friends and interests separate because ninety-five percent of the people on campus, in Starfleet, saw him as a slacker, a brawler, not an intellectual. They did not know he had completed a university degree when he was still a teen and took courses for a Masters degree while in the three-year accelerated Starfleet Command-track program. They just assumed he cheated or slept with the faculty for his marks. Everyone but Captain Pike.

Captain Pike was one of the rare Starfleet officers who looked past the surface and saw past reputation and appearances. He was the one to throw his support behind Mya when she only had numbers and an interesting theory. It was with his subtle and not-so-subtle campaigning that she received the funds and support in the forms of skilled aid, facilities, and testing grounds, to accelerate her research. He was the one who coaxed Admiral Archer into reassigning Monty to CalSci as Mya’s engineering liaison, to help her build what she designed, designs refined with input from Commander Spock.

And then there was the snooty Vulcan. He was unemotional, almost too robotic for Monty’s comfort, but the Scots suspected she had feelings for Commander Spock. Monty didn’t understand why or how but he knew it was hard to argue with a heart. And right now Mya’s heart was aching and bruised. He hated seeing her like this.

“Do you want to speak to them?”

Her expression shifted minutely, displaying the first sign of interest since he helped her move into one of the unused student dorms. “How?”

“They’ve begun opening communications to non-command recipients, to give the crew the chance to speak to family and friends. Captain Pike is in Sickbay and in no shape to talk but you can speak to Commander Spock or Jimmy-boy.”

She bit her lip. “If I try to say Spock is a friend they’ll say I’m a liar, but a female trying to contact James is more believable.” Her expression brightened. “Can you make the arrangements for me to I talk to James?”

“Of course! What time is good for you?”

Her expression turned hopeful. “As soon as possible.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

 

~ooOoo~

 

Jim was surprised when an Erin Xanthpolous messaged him. Vaguely he tried to match the name with a face or role and failed. He gave up and pulled the correct personnel file and scanned the contents. Communications specialist. Uhura’s second. Curious, he responded with a request to comm. him directly.

Fifteen seconds later the intercom chirped, signalling an incoming message.

“Xanthpolous to Captain Kirk.”

“Kirk here.”

“Sir, I have someone on subspace asking to speak to you. The signal is originating from the Academy.”

That really threw Jim off. He went through his list of acquaintances (rather long) and his friends (a much shorter one). Bones and Chris were already on board so who could it be?

“Do you have a name?”

“She asked to surprise you.”

If it was one of his exs he could easily end the call. “Put her through.” And he was so very glad he had said that when he saw the person on the other end. “Mya!”

She looked tired and weary with bruises under her eyes. “James, I’m so glad you’re alive.”

Jim laughed. “You know me. Nothing can keep James T. Kirk down!” Then he looked more curious. “How did you know I was on the _Enterprise_?” Technically Bones had snuck him on board. Jim was supposed to be stuck on campus, on academic probation.

Mya snorted. “I do have other friends in Starfleet. They’ve kept me in the loop.”

Jim gave her a suspicious look. “Uh huh. And most of the reports we’ve been sending back has probably been classified to Level quadrillion.”

She smiled mysteriously. “I have friends.” Her expression turned more sober. “Starfleet has been pretty good trying to allow friends and family to contact the survivors, on the _Enterprise_ and from the escape pods. Monty was sweet enough to pull a few strings to fudge your files. I’ve been listed as an alternate next-of-kin if Leonard is unavailable.” She grinned more mischievously. “So tell me James, how are you really doing?”

“Badly,” Jim said baldly. He dashed away tears. “I lost almost half the crew. I feel the ship is going to come apart around us and she’s supposed to be brand new!”

She gave him a thoughtful look. “You were not up against an ordinary enemy James. You should be proud you survived and succeeded in taking out your opponent.”

Jim shrugged. “Yeah well, it was sheer dumb luck. We would have been sitting ducks if it wasn’t for a prototype defensive weapon the _Enterprise_ was supposed to test.”

Her expression brightened and she leaned forward. “So how did it work?” she asked eagerly.

“Wha? Mya! You know I can’t talk about that!” Jim hissed scandalized.

She gave him an affronted look. “You know I’m going to have access to all the sensor data and the prototype itself when you get back.” Wha? She smirked. “I developed the math behind Flamel’s Gambit. Spock and Monty helped me translate it into a production design and building the prototype you used.”

Blue eyes widened in shock before a broad smile split his face. “Well you should be damn proud of yourself Mya. It really saved our bacons.”

“I’m surprised it didn’t overload the power conduits,” Mya confessed. “It was never supposed to be tested in a real battle.”

“It nearly did. Commander Spock and Lt Simmons did an amazing job repairing on the fly. It did blow out several circuit relays but they just kept re-routing and doing quick and dirty patch jobs. The Admiralty is going to scream about the unauthorized and untested installations and modifications and repairs but they can kiss my ass.”

“Don’t worry about the Admiralty. Christopher can handle them.”

Jim turned sober. “I’m not so sure Mya. Chris is hurt real bad. Bones doesn’t think he’ll ever walk again.”

Her expression settled into something Jim called ‘resolve face’. When Mya looked like that it was best to avoid her or obey without question.

“Let me worry about that. I know of a few non-Starfleet specialists who might be able to help.”

Jim snorted softly, disbelieving sound. “Bones said it was pretty much untreatable.”

She gave him an annoyed look “Bones doesn’t know the full capabilities of Avalon healers like I do!” she snapped. Then she softened. “Just bring yourself home in one piece. All of you.”

Jim grinned. “I will. See you on Earth Mya-girl.”

She smiled tearily at him. “I’ll be waiting.”

Then with a final wave the display turned into the standard Starfleet logo.

The earlier exhaustion had faded and Jim was feeling energized and eager. Mya wouldn’t lie to him or give him false hope. If she believed Chris could be healed… He ran out of his temporary quarters and down the corridors, down to Medical.

~o~

“Goddamn it Jim! You’re like a thundering herd of horses! Where’s the fire?”

“Bones! I spoke with Mya!”

The Georgia-born doctor calmed down instantly. He liked Mya. She stabilized and calmed Jim down and that was a feat in itself.

“She commed? I thought personal comm. time was restricted to family only.”

The boy grinned impishly. “Apparently she has friends in high places. She pulled some strings and now my files say she is my next-of-kin. Monty Scott helped arrange the comm. time.” The broad smile faded. “She says she is going to arrange for Chris to have some non-Starfleet doctors.”

McCoy puffed up and began working himself into a rant. “I tell–”

“Bones! Have you heard about doctors called Avalon healers?”

The rant died without going full-blown. “Are you serious Jim? Avalon healers?”

“That’s what she said. I know she grew up on Avalon, spent around ten years there before moving to Earth to study. She still goes back when she can.”

McCoy sat down hard on his stool waving at Jim to sit down himself. After pouring himself a finger of whiskey, and sipping it, he spoke.

“Avalon healers are the best human specialists. Unfortunately they are very picky about who they accept as students and sharing their techniques. They don’t publish either and as a non-Federated world they have their own Ministry of Healthcare that doesn’t share information with Federation health and medical agencies. They don’t share their methods or details of the treatments or drug protocols. To emphasize that they use non-conventional treatments their doctors are called healers and rarely work for a Federation hospital. But despite this there is always a waiting list of wealthy and elite seeking treatment from Avalon trained doctors because their techniques, damn them, work.”

“Mya said she was going to get Chris an Avalon healer.”

“Then Chris will have the best care. Even if they can’t completely heal him I’m certain they’ll be able to do much more than any other doctor can.”

Jim bit his lip. “If they’re so good why hasn’t Starfleet tried to hire a few of them?”

McCoy laughed. “Avalon healers don’t believe interested in full-disclosure to Starfleet or any Federation agency. They keep their methods secret. Even the drugs they use are not mass produced or even synthesized. They are usually compounded by an assistant by hand. Like some old-fashioned apothecary.”

Jim made a face. “Wha?”

“I know kid. It sounds hokey but what they do, placebo-effect or not, has worked very well for centuries. The medical industry is a major part of their economy. They have orbital stations that function as hospitals for visitors who travel just to be treated by an Avalon healer ‘cause usual doctors and treatments don’t work. And most of the time the Avalon healers succeed where the rest of us have failed.”

“So Chris is in good hands then?”

“If Mya managed to bribe or blackmail a genuine Avalon healer into taking his case, then yeah, he’s in the best of hands.”

 


	6. Uniquely Forged Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some surprises ahead. For everyone, including Spock's parents

Hermione Granger bit her lip and twiddled her thumbs. Then she picked up a PADD and tried to read one of the articles she had downloaded to the device. She gave up and stood, pacing around the perimeter of the room, trying to burn off some of her nervous energy. She was very aware of the curious side-long looks from the other occupants of the large waiting room. They never stayed focused on her for too long. Everyone in the room had their own fears, their own concerns, their own loved ones they were waiting to see.

She leaned against a cool tiled wall and inhaled deeply. She knew James and Spock and Leonard were alive and well. She knew that Christopher was the only one suffering from truly grievous injuries and in need of an Avalon healer. She knew all these things and yet she still worried.  The _Enterprise_ had limped back into Sol system sixty hours ago, long enough for the crew to be treated and debriefed. In fact most of them had been released into the care of family members, all but the bridge and senior crew and one Acting Captain Kirk who had been illegally on board the _Enterprise_.

Hermione could almost feel her magic sparking, escaping her control in a way it hadn’t in years. She chewed on the back of one knuckle, drawing blood to sharpen her focus. She could not afford to loose control in the middle of a Starfleet facility. She was vaguely aware of eyes on her. She turned and met the direct gazes of a couple sitting slightly apart from the rest, content in just each other’s company. Most of the other families had congregated in larger clusters, seeking mutual support and comfort. Not this one though. Then again perhaps not so surprising since one half of this couple was Vulcan. Hermione recognized Ambassador Sarek and Lady Amanda from her research. Spock’s parents. If they were a purely human couple she would have smiled and perhaps approached them, introduced herself as a colleague. But Ambassador Sarek was Vulcan and she was not brave enough to put herself forward, without at least an introduction.

~o~

S’chn T’gai Sarek could not explain to himself why his attention kept wandering despite his attempts to meditate. There was something about the young human female on the other side of the room, something unusual. He considered his options before settling on one.

“Amanda, walk with me,” he murmured to his bondmate.

She gave him a sharp look but did not question the request and stood gracefully. Sarek rose and moved to stand beside her, subtly guiding his partner to a less sparsely occupied section of the waiting room.

“What is it Sarek?” she asked softly when they were out of earshot.

He tried to ascertain what to tell her. Amanda was psi-null but she had a strong human intuition, and insight that was almost psychic.

“The young human woman wearing the long rust-red skirt and cream tunic.” Amanda discreetly angled her head and stopped when she spotted the female. “There is something… unusual about her.”

“Unusual? Like what?”

“She feels like kin.”

Amanda went very still, comprehending his bafflement. Humans might marry or bond into Vulcan clans but they didn’t have the nervous system and brain structure to generate the necessary bioelectric aura, to register as kin to a Vulcan. It was one reason why it was so rare for Vulcans to bond with non-Vulcans.

Then she came to a decision. “We need to get closer to her,” she told Sarek. “Try to see if you can touch her discreetly.” Sarek gave his bondmate a scandalized look but she was not put off. “If she is kin, it is acceptable.”

Sarek contemplated the circular logic before deciding it was acceptable reasoning given the scanty information he had access to. “Very well.”

He never would have managed it on his own. Amanda was the one to bump into the young woman, ‘accidentally’ pushing a pile of PADDs to the floor. Sarek picked them up handed them to the young woman. Deliberately he altered the angle of his limbs enough brush against her forearm with the side of his hand. Murmuring apologies he moved on knowing Amanda was just behind him.

He had not missed the patent disbelief, the sharp questioning look on her face when he touched her. She had a strong well-developed bio-electric aura that was strongly resonant with his own. If she was Vulcan he would have been certain she was kin. But she was human and a stranger. Sarek wasn’t certain of how to classify her. Near-kin? She was more than that. Her aura had almost latched and laced into his own when he touched her. If she were Vulcan he would say she was ripe and ready for a full bonding. But not with him. Both she and he had known that the moment they touched. She was waiting for someone else, a Vulcan. Who was she? Who was she waiting for? And how had this been missed for so long?

“Sarek?”

He looked down at his own bondmate. “She is kin,” he said finally. “Unbonded and ripe for it. Her mind has been ‘tuned’ for a particular Vulcan male and she is waiting for him.”

Amanda hissed. “Who?”

“I do not know,” Sarek confessed. Then he was interrupted by an announcement over the intercom system asking the visitors to collect their belongings. They were going to finally see their relatives, the ones held back for more in-depth debriefings.

Sarek could sense a very familiar mind approach the main waiting room doors. Spock.

~o~

Hermione did not know what had drawn her attention to the door, distracting her from the odd Vulcan who had made skin-on-skin contact with her. Then when she heard the message on the intercom she understood and the tension that had been knotting her muscles let go. She was going to see them! She was going to see her friends.

She wanted to push her way through the mass of family forming a semi-circle near the door but she didn’t. They also wanted to see their loved ones. So she waited, hovering on the outer edge of the crowd, as one by one a crewmember of the _Enterprise_ stepped into the waiting room and was enveloped by a group of waiting family or friends.

The ones who came through the door first were the more junior officers, ones with large voluble families and were engulfed in kin. Vaguely she saw each form clad in Starfleet uniforms being met by those who had been waiting for them. Then she saw them. Two human men, one dark-haired older man in Science blues and a younger blue-eyed blond dressed in just the black undershirt and no tunic.

She was walking towards them very fast and found herself hugging the younger male very tightly, seeping into his shoulder.

“James!”

“Hey there. It’s okay. I’m fine,” he told her with a bright smile.

She cupped his cheeks and looked deep into his eyes, skimming his thoughts and pushing her magic into him to confirm his claims. Reassured she let to and stepped back to turn to the older man who succumbed to her embrace and wordless examination.

“I am so happy you are fine. Both of you.”

He smiled gently at her. “It’s good ta see ya again Mya. What is this I heard from Jim about a specialist for Chris?”

She shrugged and smiled. “I studied on Avalon. A few of my yearmates became healers. I asked for a referral.”

Leonard gave her a sharp look. “The specialist was waiting as soon as the _Enterprise_ docked.”

“Padma lives on Earth, in Brisbane. It wasn’t hard for her to take a shuttle to San Francisco.”

Leonard considered the information. “Have you heard anything? We’ve been in lock-down since we arrived.”

“Christopher will recover. He will not recover full-mobility and he will probably always need a cane but he won’t be paralysed.”

Leonard shuddered. “Thank the Lord. He would have hated that.”

James made a face. “He’s going to hate it anyway. Starfleet is going to ground him. All crew on space-going ships have to be fully mobile. Especially the Captain.”

Leonard scowled. “Oh crap.”

“He’s alive and well and that is what counts,” Hermione said gently. Then she bit her lip and asked the question she had wanted to ask from the start. “Where’s Spock?”

“He’s just behind us.” James turned around. “Or he was.”

She took a few steps and found herself being drawn to another part of the room.

~o~

The two men blinked and watched her go. They were surprised to see her making her way towards the stoic Vulcan First Officer.

“What does is she think she’s doing?” McCoy asked scowling.

“She’s friends with Spock.”

McCoy coughed and sputtered. “She’s what?!”

“I didn’t know until she commed me after the battle. Did you know she is the one who developed the math behind the prototype? She worked with Spock to build the thing. We owe her our lives,” Kirk said softly.

“And you’re telling me this now?”

“I only got permission to share classified information fifteen minutes ago,” Kirk countered. “Starfleet is going to push to put it into production and retrofit all existing ships with Flamel’s Gambit. Besides the press knows it was some very experimental tech that allowed the _Enterprise_ to survive when all the other ships were destroyed by the _Narada_.”

McCoy frowned faintly. “Well okay, but what does that have to do with her and Spock. You know everyone says Vulcans don’t **do** friendships.”

Kirk snorted then he goggled looking away from his best friend. “You know what Bones? I think the scholar **Everyone** is wrong about Vulcans.”

“Why?”

“Look and see for yourself.”

McCoy turned in the direction Kirk was pointing before doing a double-take himself.

~o~

Hermione didn’t know why she was being so forward. She could have easily slipped away and waited until Spock was in private. Or sent a message with her contact information. But she didn’t do either. She found herself being drawn to him, almost helplessly, like a lodestone.

She was vaguely aware of voices around them, the Vulcan-human couple – _Sarek and Amanda_ – but they were not important. The only one who mattered was standing before her.

He looked so broken, so distant. No one else would have seen it in the perfectly polished expression-mask but Hermione was not fooled. He was **hurting** and **needing** and Hermione desperately wanted to make things better for him, she wanted to make things **right**. But she didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to initiate a touch in public – it would shame him – so she struggled to find the words.

“I’m here for you Spock.”

And she felt as he broke down.

Not outwardly, not physically, but internally, spiritually.

She gasped and nearly collapsed when she felt the full weight of his astral being latch onto her, burrow deep within her own psyche, weaving himself into her, drawing stability and power from her, leaving her trembling. She hissed and reached out with mental hands to grab insubstantial tendrils wound around her.

“ _Gently_ ,” she told him mentally. He looked horrified and ashamed so she pushed reassurance towards him. “ _I’m not going anywhere_.”

To everyone else they were ignorable; a human female and a Vulcan male standing before each other simply staring. If anyone had tricorders it would have been a completely different story. The power spikes, the energy spectrum, the unseen ribbons of unfamiliar energy expanding out to coiling around the other, weaving into him/her.

Hermione focused on keeping her mind strong, stable, and soothing. He needed her to be calm and supportive so she would be just that.

The waiting room was quiet now apart from two loud voices, several uncertain ones, and one calm being who took control.

“My son and Miss Granger require privacy.” Educated. Formal. Sarek.

“No they don’t! We need a doctor to undo whatever voodoo your boy has done to Mya!” a loud belligerent accented voice insisted. Georgian. Hot-tempered. Leonard.

“Calm down Bones. I’m sure Spock isn’t hurting her. He isn’t right?” Jovial. Slightly threatening. Protective. James.

“Please, don’t touch them. It could have unexpected effects,” a soothing female voice cautioned. Calm. Protective. Resolute.

“What is going on?” James asked.

“I cannot be certain but they are bonding.”

“What?!”

Hermione ignored the loud squawk and took one step forward and raised her hands, palms out and perpendicular to the floor. Spock mimicked her actions and placed his hands against hers, palm-to-palm, finger-to-finger. She hissed minutely as her magic began to surge, react, be drawn to the surface, to **him**.

And then he was in her mind, in her mental embrace. Her body moved automatically to press against his, her forehead against the hollow of his collarbones, head tucked under his chin. Their fingers laced and their limbs shifted to align against each other. She could feel him inside her and against her. Just like she knew he could feel her inside him and against him. They were two. They were one.

Part of her was terrified. She was not used to this, being subsumed so completely in another being. Even her Mind Arts lessons with Professor Snape did not come close to this. She knew she could break away from Professor Snape if she tried. She was not certain if she would ever feel the desire to do so from Spock.

Her magic certainly did not. Someone gripped her shoulder and was trying to pull her away from Spock. Someone was trying to separate them. Vaguely she was aware of the female screams and loud crashes, Levin bolts damaging the waiting room, shorting electronics and blasting furniture. She forced her eyes to open. The first thing she saw were dark brown orbs. She wasn’t interested in anything or anyone else. The air around them was a faint silvery blue-white, tiny tendrils of her manifested power swirling around them.

There was a slat of plastic being wedged between them, trying to push them apart. Spock did not like it. Neither did she. The plastic crumbled into dust. He growled and drew her close, wrapping one arm around her back while keeping his fingers laced through her other hand, shifting on the balls of his feet to push her behind him, to defend against any potential threats. Hermione usually hated it when others tried to push her behind, to protect her. Now she didn’t mind, it felt **right**.

~o~

Amanda Grayson didn’t know what was going on but she knew the usual bull-headed head-first tactics were not working. She only hoped that pretty African-born Starfleet officer wasn’t too badly hurt.

“Stop it!” Her voice was loud and clear carrying over the heated arguments on what strategies and tactics to employ, ranging from physically separating them, or using transporter, tractor beams, and forcefields to separate them. When they looked at her she spoke in calm chiding voices. “First of all clear the room. You are only making yourself visible targets by your actions. Sarek will need some quiet no distractions to reach Spock. Whether he fails or succeeds we’ll call you back in.”

Her suggestion was grudgingly acted on until only herself and Sarek were in the room. She turned to her husband and raised a brow. “Well?”

“I do not believe I can reach them,” Sarek confessed. “The bond between the two…” he waved at the thin strands of orange-red ribbons entwined with blue. “For it to manifest physically… it is something out of legend. We need to consult with T’Pau and the priestesses of Seleya.”

Amanda frowned. “We don’t have time for that. They need to break out of it now. Preferably under their own incentive.”

“And I thank you for that Mother.”

Amanda spun around towards the subjects of the conversation. “Spock!”

The young woman – Hermione Granger – had slumped forward, almost prone against her son who was supporting her. She was sweating and breathing hard. There were small blue sparks in her curly light brown hair. Then she opened her eyes and turned towards Amanda.

“Hi, I’m sorry about this.”

Amanda was quick to respond. “Oh no! Don’t take it personally,” she grinned impishly, “But it’s probably some Vulcan thing that Sarek forgot to tell me.”

“It is not something I ever thought possible!” Sarek said affronted.

“It’s probably me,” Hermione Granger confessed.

Amanda was confused. “Really? Why?”

“I’m a witch.”

Now that would be a very interesting story to hear but right now she wanted to get some electrolytes into her son and his lady friend.

“That’s nice dear. Why don’t you sit down and drink this?” She thrust two pre-packed bulbs of flavoured sports drink towards them. And hovered while they obeyed her instructions and began sipping on the drinks. “My name is Amanda. I’m Spock’s mother. I understand you are Hermione Granger?”

The girl blushed and nodded. “Yes. But please call me Hermione. Or Mya.”

Amanda nodded briskly. “Now what is this about you being a witch?”

Hermione put her half-finished drink down and waved her hand. Amanda goggled while the splinters of a small broken end-table reassembled themselves and glowed. When the glow faded it was fixed. In fact it looked better than it had been before.

“I’m a witch, a sub-sect of humans who can use magic, a unique form of energy to manipulate the world around me,” she gave the explanation in a strong but defiant voice. “I grew up studying magic but I wanted to have a scientific education so I registered in CalSci to study math and physics.”

“Pursuing knowledge is always admirable,” Sarek said calmly. “I assume it is not common among your people?”

Hermione shook her head. “No, it isn’t. Most just stick to one, magical educations, careers and lifestyles. I wanted something different,” she confessed.

“You are not the only one,” Spock murmured. “I could have studied at the VSA, instead I choose to apply at the Academy and join Starfleet.”

She nodded and looked up at him blushing slightly. “I’m sorry about this. I thought my Occlumancy shields were stable. I’m usually very careful but I guess I was distracted when I found out about the _Enterprise_. I didn’t handle it well. Charlie and Monty insisted I stay in one of the unused teachers suites.” She shrugged slightly. “Monty assigned a Second-Year student to stop by and drag me out to ensure I ate and got some fresh air.” She looked haunted. “I knew something was wrong but I didn’t know why or what.”

“And how is Lt Scott?” Spock asked in a deceptively calm voice.

Hermione looked up at him and smiled. “He’s fine. He was a great support. I believe he’s with his girlfriend Christine. She’s a nursing student and Padma’s liaison. Padma is Christopher’s primary healer.”

The threat of violence faded as Spock relaxed.

“Do you have a boyfriend? Or a fiancé?” Amanda asked casually. She sincerely hoped not.

“Oh no. I broke up with Ron ages ago. And I’ve been too busy with my work.”

“And how do you feel about Spock?” Amanda was not ashamed of pushing when she wanted to know something.

“Mother!” “Amanda!” Was the unified response from the young couple. Sarek merely watched, amused but not showing it.

Hermione was blushing bright pink now but she continued. “I’m sorry if you misunderstood me Lady Amanda. I would never interfere in a relationship.” All three looked confused so she expanded. “Commander Spock’s betrothed? I thought all Vulcans were affianced from childhood. Or am I mistaken?”

Spock gave her a curious look. “I was but it was broken when I left Vulcan to study at the Academy and join Starfleet. She said it was an unVulcan illogical choice.”

Hermione stiffened. “That bitch.” Then she looked horrified. “I’m sorry! That was rude of me.” The masculine expressions were carefully blank. Amanda looked amused.

“Nothing I didn’t think and say myself dear,” Amanda said cheerfully. Then she looked to her own bondmate. “I think we need a more private shielded space.”

“My suite is shielded. There is a second bedroom. I can take the couch.”

“No,” Hermione insisted. “I’m using one of the unused teaching suites. There is no reason for you to put yourself out.” Then she frowned faintly. “I’m sorry if I sound rude but you have taken the idea of magic and witches pretty calmly. Isn’t it illogical?” she asked Spock and his father.

They glanced at each other before Spock spoke first. “I know you were hiding something very important, something linked to the base foundation sources of your theories. They are completely unfamiliar and alien but well-developed principles. Some of the modelling indicates they could enhance replicator functionality as well.” He gave her a thoughtful look.

“Yes. Transfiguration and Conjuregation. Reshaping and Creation. A mage can transform matter to energy and to a different matter with ease. Developing the equations to describe those changes, to calculate it… that was the base of my Masters work.”

“I knew you were different, Avalon was different. All of my research indicated it. It was never an important factor in our relationship.”

“And I have known of magic for a while,” Sarek interjected. When everyone looked towards him he continued. “Select members of the Federation Council are informed of the Magical Council of Avalon. They arrange and supervise interactions and create any necessary cover-ups.”

“Like my educational background.”

“And Federation citizens being treated by non-Federation and technically unlicensed doctors.” He gave her a thoughtful look. “In fact you are not the first mage I have met. The first was one who stayed in Mount Seleya for instruction. Severus was the first to make me seriously consider the position of Federation Ambassador. I was a junior member of the Vulcan Embassy to Earth at the time,” he explained.

Hermione’s expression brightened “Severus? Severus Snape? Tall, dark eyes and black hair, very pale skin and preference for black or dark clothes?”

“A very accurate description.”

“He was my old Potions and Chemistry teacher. He still teaches at my old school.”

“It would be intriguing to meet him again. He had a very peculiar yet apt perspective on events and individuals.”

Hermione snorted. “That sounds very much like him.” Then she yawned. “I’m sorry! It’s been a long day.”

“And both of you need to rest.” Amanda said briskly. “Come along. You need to rest. And your friends need to be reassured that you are safe and healthy as well.”

 

~ooOoo~

 

Initially Lt Montgomery ‘Monty’ Scott did not believe the wild tale spun by Kirk and McCoy, how the ‘bastard’ Spock had somehow seduced Mya and used his ‘voodoo mind powers’ to hypnotize her into obeying him. He had simply plied them with whiskey laced tea until they subsided into sullen silence.

The silence only lasted until Monty received the comm. from Commander Spock. From his quarters, but not from him. McCoy recognized the pretty older lady.

“Lady Amanda.”

“Hello Doctor McCoy. How are you feeling?”

“Angry,” McCoy growled. Then he sobered up. “Did something happen to Mya?” he asked anxiously.

“Oh no. She’s perfectly fine. With Spock,” she added pointedly.

“Yeah, about that, you never did explain what was going on with the two of them. So what’s the story? Some Vulcan thing?”

Lady Amanda hesitated before responding. “A Vulcan and a Mya thing.”

Kirk pushed his way to the front. “What do you mean?” And then they listened in shell-shocked silence as Lady Amanda explained it to them in simple terms, hitting the relevant high points.

There was a mental component in all complete Vulcan marriages that literally joins a couple. Bondmate is not just a flowery term but a literal description of what each half was to the other. Most of the time the bond has to be set or coaxed along by a clan elder, a priestess. But there are rare cases where a bond forms spontaneously between very compatible minds. Such as Mya and Spock.

 _What if they can’t get along? Do you have divorces?_ No. Getting divorced was very difficult unless mental instability or incompatability can be proven. And some bonds were too strong to be broken. The one between Mya and Spock was an example. It was natural, fated, dense, and resistant to external forces.

 _But they’ve known each other for months. Why did this happen now?_ Stress and bad luck. Both have psi-powers and shield instinctively. But the past weeks have been very stressful for the both of them and it weakened their shields. Their compatability is so strong that when they met the bond formed without conscious intent.

 _She’s a human. Wouldn’t the Ambassador like to have a nice **Vulcan** girl for a daughter-in-law?_ He did and arranged for a betrothal. It fell apart because the bond didn’t hold. And she was not truly accepting of the arrangement.

 _And what about Mya? We don’t want to see her miserable. She got out of one nasty relationship where the bastard cheated on her. And Spock, well he’s rather cold and unsympathetic_. My son is loyal and not the sort to cheat. Besides it is difficult to lie to one another when one is bonded so strongly as they are. Spock is private and possessive but Mya sees what you don’t and she accepts him as he is.

 _Okay, so they’ve bonded. What happens next?_ Spontaneous bonding is the equivalent of hand fasting, Gretna Green marriages. Sarek wishes to have a formal ceremony on Vulcan to ensure it is recognized by the Vulcan High Council. Mya has asked for a similar arrangement on Avalon since it is a non-Federated world and doesn’t recognize most Federation contracts.

In the end they gave their grudging blessings but insisted on accompanying Mya, to be witness and support her. _She doesn’t have many relatives and her parents are dead. I don’t think she has any other relatives to inform._

 

~ooOoo~

 

Hermione twisted her fingers together. It was the first bit of real privacy they had since his return. Up until now they were always in the company of someone else, his parents or her friends. It had stilted their conversation. Their unplanned bonding as well. She didn’t know how to break this stalemate.

“Please accept my apologies for forcing this upon you.”

She stared at Spock wide-eyed. Then she shook her head. “It’s not your fault. It’s not any of our faults, just the results of many uncontrollable factors.”

“But still, my control was lacking. If I had maintained my shields, as I had been trained to do, we would not be in this situation,” he said slowly looking away from her.

Hermione could not resist moving until she was in his line of sight. “Spock, I think we have been building up to this for a while. At least it has on my part. If I knew you were not betrothed I would have approached you much earlier.”

“I was not betrothed but I was committed,” he confessed.

She stared at him confused and slightly hurt. “Who?”

“Cadet Uhura.”

“Your student?”

“The relationship did not start until two terms after she completed the course I was teaching.”

Hermione closed her eyes. “Then I must apologize for interfering in your personal life.”

“It is no longer of relevance. The relationship was terminated after the encounter with the _Narada_ and Nero.”

Hermione was baffled. Uhura was an attractive sought after female. She’d heard enough about her from James. “May I ask why?”

He looked uneasy. “The aftermath of the battle. It revealed some personality incompatibility between us.” But Hermione was not willing to go easy on him. “She has different professional goals and is uncomfortably cruel, deliberately so, and thoughtless. She does not respect personal privacy and is very careless with the reputation of another.”

Hermione bit her lip. She had always thought that of Uhura, but that was because she was a female and non-Starfleet, insignificant in the younger woman’s eyes. But Hermione knew better than to say so to a lovelorn pursuer. James had to be disillusioned from his own experiences to give up on her.

“I spent many hours meditating before deciding she is more concerned with perception, like T’Pring. Only she hid it better.” Spock looked dismayed at his conclusions.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Hermione murmured consolingly. “You don’t have much experience reading human body language or understanding our psychology. Besides most girls are pretty good at fooling a guy and pretending to be exactly what he wants. Human women have been doing it for centuries to get the rich or influential husband they want.”

“But you do not,” Spock pointed out. “You are genuine. No pretence.”

Hermione laughed. “I’d like to think so. I’m not interested in wasting energy pretending, and keeping my stories straight. Lots of people don’t like me but I have a few real friends and I’m okay with it.”

“I… I like you,” Spock confided. He looked surprised. “I have ever since we began working on the third generation design. You were not angry when it did not work. You simply archived the flawed design files and created a new set. Most humans would have screamed and ranted and blamed someone or something. But you did not.”

Hermione laughed. “Oh Spock! You have no idea how many failures I’ve had long before this project. At one time it terrified me. But I’ve learnt that failures can teach me much more than success.”

“That is a very admirable belief.” Spock murmured.

“And I have also learnt to not take failure personally. Things happen. I simply have to work with what I have.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “May I kiss you? In the human way?” she asked gravely.

He hesitated for five seconds before responding. “You may.”

She moved her hand to the back of his neck, drawing his face down as she moved to stand on tiptoe. And then she kissed him.

It was a chaste brush of lips, nothing scandalous to most humans but to Vulcans it was something completely different. Her free hand was pressed against his, palm-to-palm and fingers laced together. She leaned into him, absently running the fingers of the hand pressed against his nape up into the short silky strands of hair. Then over one sensitive ear tip. He gasped against her mouth and she swallowed it before tracing the seam of his lips with her tongue, wetting his lips with her saliva.

She pulled away, one hand pressed against his, the fingers of the other toying with the outer cartilage of one ear. She knew she could push him but she did not want to. She cared too much to make demands. So she let go and moved to the queen-sized bed in the room and sat down on the edge.

“Sit with me.” He did lacing his fingers with hers without thinking. It was reassuring and comforting. He was there and when he was touching her it reinforced the bond.

“Lie with me. Just next to me,” she hurried to reassure him. “I want to just touch you.” He looked at her askance. Hermione gave him a look. “Your parents are in the guest room. I’m not going to jump you with them nearby.”

“You would not succeed,” he told her equitably. “I am Vulcan and more than capable of resisting your advances.”

He said it deadpan but something in his eyes told her he was joking. So she took it as a faux-challenge and smiled impishly. “Oh really?”

“Yes.”

She could not resist the dare and focused on all her sexual frustration, her repressed desire, the aching yearning sensations when she woke up alone and burning. And then she channelled it into the bond.

He gasped and shuddered clenching his grip on her hand. It took a while for him to regain enough control to meet her eyes without his body responding reflexively.

“Humans feel that all the time?”

“Some more than others. It wasn’t an issue for me until I met you.”

“You desire me.”

“Have since the third time we met in-person.”

“Why?”

“You smiled at me. With your eyes. It made me feel special, your one-and-only. I know it’s a rather silly thing but I’ve never met anyone who loves chasing any knowledge like you.”

He looked at her surprised. “I did not know. You did not indicate your interest in me.”

“You weren’t supposed to and I wasn’t going to make a fool of myself chasing a guy who wasn’t interested in me.”

He was silent for a time because what she said was true. He had not been interested in her on a personal level at that point in time. His interest developed much later.

“You did not allow your emotions to affect your work.”

“Of course not!”

“Then you are unique. Several of my colleagues and students often do badly when they experience romantic difficulties.”

Hermione laughed and lay back on the bed, scooting over to make space for Spock.

“Just lie down and go to sleep Spock.”

He obeyed her instructions, though he did not expect to sleep. He had not meditated in more than thirty hours. He focused on her breathing, her heartbeat. It lulled him into a trance like state. He was surprised to find himself falling into true sleep, his senses anchored by the sound of her breaths.

In. Out.

In. Out.

In. Out.

Then nothing.


	7. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione introduces her families of choice to each other - her magical friends to her new ones in Starfleet and her bondmate.

Minerva McGonagall was pleased to read the message from a former student, a particular favourite of hers. The news was particularly exciting. She hurried to the private staff dining room, hoping to catch Poppy and Severus.

“Poppy! Severus! I have news!”

The mediwitch and Potions Master both looked up from their meals.

“What is it Minerva?” Poppy asked slightly exasperated. She’d had a busy day restocking the infirmary. She wanted to have her post-school year chores completed before the end of the week so she could leave a little earlier than planned.

“I received a message from Miss Granger. She’s enroute to Avalon and has asked permission for herself and her guests to stay in Hogwarts for a few days.”

Severus arched a brow. “Guests? How many and what sort?”

“Her bonded, his parents, and three close friends.”

You could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed.

“What?” Poppy was confused and concerned. “What do you mean bonded? I didn’t know she was seeing a wizard. Not after the fiasco with Ron Weasley.”

Minerva waved the PADD enthusiastically. “Not a wizard. A Vulcan!”

Severus laughed. “You know a Vulcan sounds like the perfect match for Miss Granger.”

Poppy turned to the wizard horrified. “Severus! Hermione is a very nice young woman who deserves someone who truly cares for her!”

His expression turned sober. “Ah but she will Poppy. Vulcans might appear to be cold and unemotional but they are not. In fact they can feel too strongly.”

That silenced the reflexive protests. “Will it be enough for her?”

“I believe so. Miss Granger is not the type to make such choices lightly.”

Minerva bit her lip. “I don’t think it was a choice she made Severus.”

The Potions Master frowned. “What do you mean?”

Wordlessly she held out the PADD. He took the device and scanned the contents of the open file, first frowning then looking more thoughtful. By the time he reached the end of the message he was smiling.

“Do not worry Minerva. Such a connection is the Vulcan equivalent of a soulmate bond. It forms spontaneously between very compatible individuals. It won’t allow him to ignore her when she is sad or hurting.”

Minerva and Poppy relaxed fractionally. “So he’ll cherish her?”

“Very much so.”

“Is there any special preparations we should do?”

Severus thought for a moment. “Assign them a tower and ensure they have a way to adjust the room temperatures. Vulcans prefer hot dry environments. And make sure the house elves know to prepare only vegetarian meals.”

“I understand. Anything else?”

Severus thought for a moment and responded. “Do not interfere in the relationship. Only Miss Granger has the right to repudiate him. If the bond is as strong as I suspect he will not take kindly to any interlopers, threats to the relationship.” He smirked. “I suggest we do not inform Mr. Weasley of this of course.”

Minerva opened her mouth to protest then shut it. Hermione was a sweet loyal soul who deserved better than being cheated-on and humiliated in such a public manner. Ronald Weasley deserved to be beaten up if he tried to ruin this for her.

“I agree.”

Secretly she hoped Mr Weasley acted like his usual loutish self. He needed to be taken a few pegs down, to learn he could not go around treating witches as interchangeable commodities.

 

**~ooOoo~ooOoo~ooOoo~**

 

Amanda Grayson was thrilled, intrigued, fascinated. Magic was real! Her logic and science-centric husband had known for decades! And her new daughter-in-law was a witch, a good one like Glinda! She shook her head with a bemused expression wondering what else was real. Unicorns? Dragons? Phoenixes? Amanda strongly suspected the answer was yes. She wondered if she would get the opportunity to tour Avalon. They didn’t have much chance to see the planet. As soon as their ship docked at Nimue’s Pier orbital station Hermione had manoeuvred them through the local equivalent of customs and asked them to hold onto a three feet length of knotted rope. It was a ‘portkey’, the magical equivalent of a transporter.

They arrived in the middle of a European castle courtyard, met by a plump serene looking woman who Hermione introduced as Professor Pomona Sprout. Professor Sprout had showed them to the guest tower – a real castle tower – and introduced them two small bar-eared big-eyed creatures called house elves.

_Mopsy and Penny have been assigned to look after you. If you need anything, or need to send a message to someone, just call out their names and they will respond._

It had made Amanda slightly uncomfortable, knowing their personal rooms were being watched, but Hermione assured her that house elves took their oaths very seriously and would never reveal what they learnt in the course of their duties. When Amanda had said she was disappointed to see they looked nothing like the elves of books or fiction – too short and ugly-cute looking – Hermione had laughed and said house elves looked and acted more like brownies to her too.

The voices behind the main door and the portrait guardian interrupted her reverie.

“Lady Amanda, there are five visitors asking to see Miss Granger.”

Dark brown eyes sharpened. “Oh? People she knows?”

“People who she grew up with and called friends when she was a student,” the portrait said.

Amanda did not have to think hard. She had seen Hermione’s non-magical and Starfleet friends, now she wanted to see the other side.

“Please, let them in.”

The portrait door obediently swung open to reveal a group of five dressed in the long archair-looking robes Hermione had showed Amanda. A tall blue-eyed red-headed freckled male. A more slender attractive female with the same hair and velvety brown eyes. A petite platinum haired blonde with almost colourless blue eyes and a vague distracted expression. A serious looking young man with messy black hair and bright green eyes. A more broadly built young man with sandy brown hair and hazel eyes.

The red-headed young woman was the first to speak and make introductions.

“Hi, I’m Ginny Weasley. This is my brother Ron Weasley. My boyfriend Neville Longbottom. And those two are Luna Lovegood and Harry Potter. We’re here to see Hermione Granger. The portraits told us she is staying in the guest tower.”

“I still don’t understand why,” Ron Weasley grumbled. “She could have easily stayed at the Burrow.”

Harry Potter snorted. “The Burrow is the last place she’d want to be Ron and you’re an idiot if you think she’s forgiven and forgotten. She might forgive but she’ll never forget.”

Ron Weasley made a scoffing sound. “I don’t see why you’re so fussy. Hermione is going to marry me once she calms down. No other wizard’s been ever interested in dating her and there’s no way she’ll marry a Muggle.”

Amanda frowned disturbed by the casual unthinking cruel words. She was just about ready to scold the thick-headed lout when his sister did it for her.

“Oh but you’re wrong Ronnie-kins. Viktor likes her and as soon as he finds out she’s back he’ll definitely stop by.”

“Same with quite a few Ravenclaws and Slytherins,” Neville Longbottom added calmly. “They didn’t bother asking her out because she was in love with you and too loyal. But now that you’ve screwed up they’ll be more than happy to put forward their suits.”

Amanda almost jumped when someone coughed behind her. She turned and saw it was her husband who was eyeing the group with a peculiar look.

“What do you want?” he asked bluntly.

“We’re here to see Hermione Granger,” Luna said clearly and looking directly at Sarek. An impressive feat since her bondmate easily made experienced adults look away and fidget.

Then he inclined his head and stepped aside. “Miss Granger is still in her room.”

“That’s okay. She’s used to us barging in. Shared dorms and rooms during the hols,” Ginny said cheerfully.

“She is on the second level above, first door on the left.”

Amanda watched the small group unerringly make their way to the winding staircase hidden behind a tapestry. Once the last of them had vanished she turned to her husband.

“Why did you do that?” she asked.

“They need to understand she is no longer **their** Hermione Granger. She is Hermione, bondmate of Spock, daughter of S’chn T’gai.”

~o~

Ron was the first to speak once the group was half-way up the stairs.

“Who’s that odd guy with pointy house elf ears?”

Harry sighed. “He’s not an elf Ron. He’s a Vulcan.”

“We don’t know his name,” Ginny commented.

“Sarek.”

Everyone stopped and turned to Luna. “What?”

“Sarek,” Luna repeated. “He is a Federation Ambassador and the equivalent of Vulcan royalty. The head of the House of Surak. Lady Amanda is his wife, his bondmate.”

Harry stared at his girlfriend. “How do you know all this?”

“Hermione mentioned she was working with a Vulcan and I was curious.”

“Aren’t Vulcans emotionless?” Neville asked curious. “Most people who work with them say they’re cold and uncaring.”

“Well they aren’t human, right?” Luna pointed out bluntly. “They are very intellectual and controlled beings. Kind of like Hermione,” she added with a thoughtful look.

Ron shrugged. “Hermione is always nuts for her projects and research. Figures she found a research partner who feels the same way.”

Then they resumed their journey up the winding staircase, to the correct floor then the correct door.

Ginny knocked softly, then more loudly with no response.

“Maybe she’s in the bathroom.”

A sharp cry and Hermione’s voice calling out “Spock” drew their attention.

Immediately Harry and Ron reacted, casting Alohomora, an unlocking charm. The door opened and they poured in and froze at the sight.

 

~ooOoo~

 

Hermione Granger awoke from darkness into light and power and warmth. It took a few seconds to remember she was on Avalon, in the guest tower of Hogwarts. That the _Enterprise_ had returned with her loved ones, that Spock saw her as more than a research partner. Then she felt the bedmate lying beside her, his long lean frame pressed against her side. Her fiancé, her bondmate, her betrothed. Respecting his cultural beliefs she restrained from pressing for sexual intercourse but that didn’t mean there were other options to sate both herself and her bondmate.

“Good morning.” His voice was deep and soothing, vibrating against her skin.

She rolled onto her side and then reached over to slide on top of his frame, to lie flat against him. The action and pose pressed every bare inch of her skin against him and would be rejected by most Vulcans. But Spock was a hybrid, both Vulcan and human. He was touch starved though he had learnt to cope. In Hermione he had someone he could indulge his senses without fear of mental and emotional bleed over.

He was bare from the waist up, the flat planes of his torso covered with a triangle of black hair and a line bisecting his abs and disappearing into the waistband of navy blue silk sleep pants. She could feel him press against her hard and solid and she wanted him deep inside. But she couldn’t. Not yet.

She bit her lower lip and leveraged herself up, her hands pressed against his shoulders, straddling his waist and sliding her knees along his torso. She could feel his cock nestled in the crack of her bum. She could see the heat in his eyes, green tinged lips parted. She bent down and kissed him before he could speak.

Her breathing was ragged when he finally broken it, her core aching and clenching, fire burning in her veins. She wanted him. She needed him. Somewhere during the kiss he had leveraged himself up and was sitting up with her straddling his lap pressed against his torso. He rested his forehead against hers and whispered “Soon” against her mouth. She took the word to heart and inhaled deeply.

Deliberately he covered one hand and positioned his long dextrous fingers against hers. She gasped as he opened himself to her and silently urged her to follow her instincts. Her magical instincts, not her physical need.

Carefully she lowered her shields and wove her energy into a slender ribbon and reached out to him. She smiled when his personal energy latched onto it and anchored it within him. Experimentally she pushed her power down the narrow path and groaned when he returned the pulse. Amplified. It was no longer a low-grade ache under her skin. It was a need that had to be met. She needed more. So she opened more of herself and reached out with insubstantial fingers. Each invitation was met and accepted, welcomed into his being.

“I cannot give you more,” he told her harshly. “Not until the ceremony.”

She sighed into his mouth and pressed a string of kisses along his jaw to his ear. “I understand. But that doesn’t mean I cannot give you what is mine.”

And then it was his turn to groan as his mind was flooded with the buzz of raw unadulterated power. He dug his fingers into her waist, the curves of her hips, deep enough to bruise and it pleased her. That she had destroyed his control and caused such a strong reaction.

“Mine,” he growled.

She smiled slyly and kissed him languidly, long and deep, even as she whispered her response into their joined minds. “Yours.”

Then he did something that caused every pleasure centre to activate. She cried out as her muscles convulsed, his arms tightened around her, and her fingers twisted in the short strands at the nape of his neck.

“Spock!” she gasped as his arms wrapped around her torso, sensitive fingertips stroking over her spine, towards the hem of her borrowed night-shirt, and up over her hips.

She was dimly aware of the door opening, of many people barging in, but it was unimportant. All that mattered was the male beneath her hands. He was her Alpha and her Omega, the beginning and the end of her existence.

~o~

Hermione was straddling the lap of some guy who was sitting on the only bed in the room. He was definitely cut and dressed in only dark blue sleep pants that accented his pale skin and short black hair. Hermione was only wearing black lace panties and the matching shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and the collar sliding off one shoulder. Her hands were clenched in his hair, their mouths fused to each other. From what Ginny could see his hands were definitely up the hem of the shirt doing goodness knows what. And what really threw her off was the **magic** in the room. Narrow ribbons of silvery blue and orange red were dancing around them, twisting around torsos and limbs, diving into skin and sliding across like living paint.

Ginny Weasley would be the first to admit she teased Hermione about her sexual inexperience. Hermione had confessed she had never had an orgasm with Ron; that she had always ‘finished’ after Ron nodded off. It had made her feel sorry for the older witch and Ginny had tried to help, by educating Hermione. It didn’t work because Ron had still cheated. In the months after the break-up Ginny had secretly wondered if Hermione was frigid because Lavender Brown had been more than satisfied by Ron. But now, looking at Hermione who definitely looked like she was coming, Ginny had to say Hermione definitely was not frigid. And that guy was definitely cut!

“How extraordinary,” Luna murmured.

Ginny turned to the Ravenclaw witch and asked, “What do you mean?”

“Hermione found her true bond.”

Everyone froze and stared at the blonde. All of them had been brought up on wizarding fairytales. The most romantic ones were tales involving true bonds, the equivalent of Muggle soulmates. Every little witch grew up hoping to have a true bond, to marry him and only him, because true bond marriages were the strongest, most fertile, happiest, and most productive ones in magical history.

Then Ron began sputtering. “That’s nutters! The guy is a Vulcan! Only witches and wizards can have true bonds.”

“You are incorrect Mr Weasley.” It was Lady Amanda. “Many races have the equivalent of soulmates. _Thy’la_ s for Vulcans. _Imzadi_ for Betazoids.”

Ginny stepped on Ron’s instep before he made things worse. “Sorry Lady Amanda, it’s just that we’ve never heard of a match happening with an alien race. There have been magical and non-magical true bonds, but only to a human. Or at least a part human.”

Lady Amanda smiled sharply. “Ah, but Spock is a hybrid. He is my son.” She jerked her chin towards the door. “And as you can see they are busy. I suggest you wait for them.”

Ron flushed an angry red. “Get that guy off Hermione! She’s mine!”

Lady Amanda was not even affected. “You had her and you lost her long ago Mr Weasley. She is with my son now and I will not tolerate anyone interfering!” Her glare was on the scale of Molly Weasley and Ron cowered. Satisfied she spoke in softer tones. “Now please leave.” She waited until all of them were moving down the stairs before following.

Once they reached the main level with the public rooms, they saw Ambassador Sarek was not alone. There were two human men, a blue-eyed blond their age, a dark-eyed brown-haired one who was much older. The blond approached them with a friendly look.

“So which one of you is Ron Weasley?”

Before Ginny could elbow her brother the idiot responded. “I am.” And then he was punched in the face, falling back and tripping over his own feet.

The blond’s expression was not so friendly anymore. “Hi, My name is Jim Kirk. I’m Mya’s honorary brother and you’re the cheating ex.”

Ron groaned. “A guy has needs. And Hermione’s always more interested in her stupid books.”

Jim snorted. “Then next time be honest and break-up with the girl first. Or don’t bother leading her on, pretending that you care for her.” Then he looked at the rest of them. “Mya said you didn’t tell her what was happening. None of you even hinted! How can you even call yourself her friends!”

“Neville and I were away on extended specimen collection and research trips,” Luna said calmly. “I always thought they were a bad match. Ron has too many billy-wigs in his aura and Hermione has too much fire. She burns him without even trying.”

Neville shrugged. “Hermione is stubborn. She needs to see things for herself before accepting them. Ron was never dependable when we were students but I thought he was at least trying. I didn’t find out he was cheating and about the blow-up until two months after. I was in Brazilia with Luna.”

Harry sighed and looked guilty. “Ron is my friend. Both of them are. He begged me not to tell Hermione and swore he wouldn’t cheat again. He only hid it better. When he requested a transfer into a different shift we met less often also.”

Ginny snorted and kicked her brother in the thigh. “He told me they had broken up and Hermione wanted it kept quiet until she got back to tell everyone together.” She smiled darkly. “Trust me he spent several days in the spell damage ward after the twins and I got through with him.” She scowled. “Sunday dinners were really uncomfortable but in the end he’s my brother and a prat. Mum doesn’t like it when we fight.” She smirked. “He’s been banned from Potter manse though until Mrs Potter hears it from Hermione; that she’s forgiven him. He hasn’t been able to go for any of the holiday feasts, celebrations or local Quidditch matches. Mrs Potter’s wards bounce him right off and no one can make her change her mind, even Mr Potter.” She grinned evilly. “I spent extra time organizing a local league for pick-up games at Potter manse. And Mrs Potter makes tons of food for anyone dropping in. And no one can sneak out a plate of leftovers for Ron.”

The anger faded and Jim Kirk’s expression turned more understanding. “Family huh.”

Ginny nodded. “Yup. Ron is a lazy lying cheat. Percy is an uptight prat. Mum can be a banshee to get her own way. Dad just lets her do whatever she wants.” She grinned at him. “I think the rest of us are okay though.”

Jim Kirk laughed and held out his hand. “Hi, my name is James Kirk. Most people call me Jim. This is Leonard McCoy. I call him Bones.”

Ginny grinned and gripped it. “Hi Jim, my name is Ginevra Weasley but everyone calls me Ginny. You’ve already met the prat Ron. Meet Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom.”

Jim shook each of their hands in turn. Then he looked at Lady Amanda. “Is Mya awake?”

Neville snorted. “More like occupied,” he murmured in an undertone, but loud enough to be heard by Jim who grinned broadly.

“Really? That’s kind of reassuring. Spock’s kind of a by-the-book guy and I wasn’t sure about Vulcans being okay with pre-marital sex.” He glanced over his shoulder and gave a wary look at Lady Amanda and Ambassador Sarek. “Sorry about that Ambassador, Lady Amanda. My mouth runs away with me sometimes.”

“They weren’t having sex,” Luna added helpfully. “They were bonding.”

Jim looked confused. “Isn’t it the same thing?”

The mages glanced at each other. “Not for us,” Ginny said finally. “Our magic can mesh with a compatible partner. A good match would have a positive constructive resonance. A true bond match is a very, very, **very** , good match.”

Jim still looked confused but he didn’t say anything. Leonard McCoy did.

“Jim, don’t be an idiot. Not everything revolves around sex you know. Vulcan marriages are based entirely around mental compatibility. If they can’t connect they can’t marry.”

Jim looked sheepish now. Lady Amanda clapped her hands. “Why don’t we order breakfast?”

“The are serving breakfast in the Great Hall,” Luna added helpfully. “You can meet the other staff and the Headmistress.” She turned to Harry. “Harry, when is your Mum Flooing in?”

Harry glanced at his wrist. “In thirty minutes.”

Luna nodded. “Then we can leave a note for Hermione and her bond mate.”

Ginny was impressed with the take-charge Luna and made no comment as the much smaller witch herded them through the corridors providing an impromptu tour to the visitors, with everyone adding tidbits and little stories. Well everyone except Ron who was trailing them in sullen silence. Eventually they reached the Great Hall and sat down at the head table. There were very few staff in residence as it was in the middle of the summer hols. Ginny was relieved to see Professor McGonagall engage the Ambassador and his wife. She sincerely hoped they didn’t say anything about what happened. Of course Ron gave it away with his sullen grumbling, mulish looks, and low-voiced accusations about ‘fiancée stealing Vulcans’.

 

~ooOoo~

 

It was hard returning to the physical world. Hermione no longer called it the real world. To her the real world was one where she could freely connect with Spock, her bondmate. She sank back on her heels, her bum planted on his thighs, her arms still draped around his neck. She was sweaty and still tingling from the rush. When she finally opened her eyes she saw he was looking down upon her with a faintly amused but still tender look. It made her want to sink into his mind all over again.

“No,” he told her firmly. “We have guests.”

“Unwanted guests,” Hermione grumbled.

“Who you want to see in person before the ceremony,” Spock pointed out bluntly.

“Oh all right.”

She didn’t take long in the bath and chose to wear a rust-red Vulcan-style robe with heavy draped layers and a panel of black embroidery down the front. Her hair was twisted into a loose knot and secured with Japanese-style kanzashi picks. It has three silver crescent moons attached on short silver chains that chimed musically every time she moved her head. The robes were a gift from Amanda and the hair picks were selected by Charlie’s girlfriend for her last Christmas present. She slipped her feet into black slippers and stepped out to join Spock who was dressed in his Starfleet uniform, Science blue tunic over blacks. She nodded having expected it, a visible reminder of Spock’s allegiances, her future allegiances.

Then they descended the stairs, side by side in comfortable silence, her fingers trailing over the back of his hand as they walked. They did not need to speak out loud to converse. Their bond was deep enough to connect through the lightest of physical touch. When they arrived at the Great Hall Hermione bore the expected pandemonium with tolerance. Her friends were very emotional and short sighted. She was the one who planned and anticipated results.

“I’m really sorry Hermione. I should have told you Ron was cheating on you. Or I should have told Ginny. She would have hexed him good and proper,” Harry said earnestly. “But I didn’t want to hurt you.”

She sighed and gave him a patient very familiar look. “You might not have wanted to, but your inactions did hurt me Harry.” He looked horribly guilty and Hermione couldn’t bear to make him feel worse. “But the consequences have benefited me so I can only say thank you. I accomplished so much more than I had planned. I made many friends,” she gave a soft look at James and Leonard, “And formed a connection I will cherish for the rest of my days.” She did not look at Spock but she brushed her fingers over the back of his hand before turning it over to trace patterns in his palm and over his fingertips. She couldn’t resist the glee that filled her at their uncomfortable expressions.

Neville coughed. “About that Hermione, are you sure about this? Bonding with a Vulcan?”

Amanda stiffened and Hermione smiled and began speaking before Amanda could retort. “We have a true bond Neville. Our auras have meshed, our minds have linked deeper than most Vulcan marriage bonds. When it is formalized, here and on Vulcan, it will only go deeper.”

Luna tilted her head to one side. “When are you going to have the ceremony?”

Hermione grinned. “Tomorrow evening right here in the Great Hall. Minerva agreed to do the hand fasting and file the registration papers.”

“Something I am honoured to be doing,” Minerva said firmly smiling fondly at Hermione. “I taught a lot of students Hermione but I can honestly say you were one of my favourites.”

Hermione turned to her old friends. “I’d like it if you all stood up for me in the circle.”

“Of course,” Ginny was the first to respond. Then she hesitated. “Who are you going to ask… to stand in?” she asked softly.

Hermione was quiet. “Minerva is officiating. I’m going to ask Lily and Severus.”

“Mum?” “Professor Snape?”

“They’re like my parents. They supported me a lot you know. I must have been so much work but they were so encouraging and helpful.” She turned to Minerva with tears in her eyes. “You as well Minerva.”

And Minerva brushed back tears. “When a student wants to learn it is encouraging. When one as bright as you asks a good teacher will do anything necessary.” Then she became calmer. “I’m assuming it will be a small circle?”

“I messaged everyone I want to be there. If they can come great, if they can’t I’ll send pictures and a pensieve orb.”

Harry blinked confused and torn at how fast things were proceeding. “Why are you in such a rush? Can’t you wait a week or so? I mean you just got back!”

“We need to leave right after the ceremony.”

“Why?”

“The bonding needs to be witnessed before the Clan Matriarchs,” Spock explained in a low even voice. “And Starfleet needs all able personnel to return to active duty.”

“Wait! You’re marrying Hermione and you’re leaving her to go off on a starship?” Harry sputtered, irked on his friend’s behalf.

Hermione laughed softly. “Active duty will be in the Engineering Corps and perhaps the shipyards. There is a lot of repairs and redesigning to be done. Even rebuilding. Seven ships and almost their entire crews were destroyed by the _Narada_.” Everyone sobered at the pointed reminder. “Spock and myself have been working on a classified project. He’ll probably be assigned to Earth for the next six months at least.”

“And after?” Ginny asked curious.

“Once I complete my doctorate I’ll join him. Starfleet is flexible about civilian scientists, especially one with special knowledge such as myself, and I’m talking about my physics research. Policy also allows for Vulcan bondmates to join their spouse on a Starfleet posting.”

“What about magic?” Harry wanted to know. He couldn’t believe his best friend, the one who eagerly devoured everything she could about magic, there was no way she was not coming back! She had to!

She gave him a soft look. “Oh Harry, I know I said would return but things have changed. I’m bonded now and my place is with Spock.” She frowned. “Besides the Ministry tends to latch onto anyone of power and influence and I hate to boast and say it but I have both right now, especially once I start publishing the magical aspects of my work.”

“Hermione is right,” Luna said serenely. “The Ministry of Magic would ‘love’ to claim one of its employees is half of a true bond couple. And the Department of Mysteries will definitely have questions about the bond, the unique aspects since Hermione’s bondmate is a Vulcan.”

Hermione smiled and jerked her thumb at Luna. “What she said. We’ll probably settle planetside once we have children. And they’ll definitely go to Hogwarts for training.”

“Provided they complete a non-magical education as well. It is not logical to ignore the benefits in having both,” Spock pointed out calmly. “You know better than anyone else.”

Hermione nodded firmly. “Of course! I know it was tough but my children are going to study both science and magic and anything else they want to learn.”

Neville made a soft snorting sound. “With the two of you as parents I’m pretty certain your kids are going to be geniuses from birth.”

Hermione frowned and said, “Neville, you’re stereotype–” before being interrupted.

“No I’m not.” He turned to Spock. “I read the article you wrote when you were still a student. On hybridizing _D’mallu_. I used some of the techniques you described for my own devil snare experiments. It was surprisingly effective. After that I tracked down all the botanical papers you published and read them.” He glanced between the couple. “Most were centred around creating a delicate synthesis to balance extremes into one.”

“A hobby,” Spock allowed. “I have had little time for botanical research or experiments in recent years.”

Neville was not phased. “I read your work, the original full-length article in Vulcan. I needed Professor Vector’s help in translating but I read it. It was passionate.”

Spock looked away. “Not an admired trait among my people.”

Ginny looked sympathetic but uncertain of what to say. Luckily Luna did.

“Well, we will call you one of us, because you are Hermione’s.” She picked up a half-filled glass of water and raised it in a toast. “To Spock and Hermione.” She met each of their eyes in turn. “All the best in your future endeavours.”

Spock look baffled but he inclined his head in police acceptance as Hermione thanked Luna. Inside she knew the blonde was right, that they could and would meet and overcome all obstacles in their path, and they would do it together. She placed her hand over his thigh, transmitting that certainty and was pleased when he responded, covering it with his own and squeezing. Spock might be controlled but he was not emotionless.

Hermione was certain everything would turn out just fine. And she was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it folks. Hope you enjoyed.


End file.
